2018 promises great inroads in the realm of “quantum computing.”  While conventional computers use binary data or bits (i.e., 0s and 1s) to store and process information (a bit can either store a 0 or 1), a quantum computer operates based on the laws of quantum mechanics and uses quantum bits or “qubits,” which can be in a “superposition” state of zero and one at the same time (e.g., a qubit can store a 0, 1, or a summation of both 0 and 1).  Ultimately, it is expected that quantum computers will be able to solve complex computations exponentially faster – as much as 100 million times faster — than classic computers.

While currently not ready for general commercial applications, quantum computers could someday allow scientists and others to solve very complex problems in chemistry, applied mathematics, biology and engineering, and also push huge advances in areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, large database searching and big data processing.

How could quantum computing impact blockchains?