The Fastest Supercomputer Can’t Crack Blockchain Encryption

TLDR

• The world’s fastest supercomputer is the processing equivalent of the latest iphone stacked five miles high.
• It can make 2.79 quadrillion calculations per second.
• It still can’t crack blockchain encryption.

When it comes to processing power, humanity has just reached a new milestone. Last week, researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) introduced El Capitan, the world’s fastest supercomputer, clocking in at an eye-watering speed of 2.79 quadrillion calculations per second. 

Yet, this breathtaking performance isn’t enough to compromise blockchain encryption, a concern that has long lingered in the cryptocurrency world. For now, even a machine as powerful as El Capitan is no match for the cryptographic fortresses of Bitcoin and Ethereum. In our opinion, that’s a good thing. Here’s why.

What Makes El Capitan so Fast?

You need some context to understand what makes El Capitan the fastest supercomputer on the planet. Imagine one of the latest iPhones processing a single calculation. Now imagine a million of those iPhones working on the same calculation at once. 

That’s what El Capitan can do every second. Or, as Jeremy Thomas from LLNL explained to a reporter from Decrypt, “Picture a stack of 1 million iPhones reaching 5 miles high.” And yes, in case you’re wondering, El Capitan makes your laptop look like it belongs in a museum.

This technological behemoth was developed in collaboration with Hewlett Packard Enterprise, AMD, and the Department of Energy, and it secured its crown during the annual SC Conference held in Atlanta this November. It now sits at the top of the Top 500 list, a biannual ranking of the world’s most powerful supercomputers.

But why build something so insanely fast? Supercomputers like El Capitan aren’t built for streaming Netflix or opening 50 browser tabs — they’re designed for complex operations like running simulations (for nuclear weapons), accelerating artificial intelligence research, and solving massive-scale scientific problems.

The Big Blockchain Question

Here’s where some in the crypto community start to sweat. A supercomputer that can perform 2.79 quadrillion calculations per second sounds ominous when you realize that blockchain networks like Bitcoin rely on cryptography to secure everything from wallet keys to transactions. 

If a supercomputer could “brute-force” (a fancy term for guessing every possible combination until it gets the right one) someone’s private key, theoretically, it could gain access to their funds — or worse, undermine entire networks.

This concern isn’t new. For years, crypto enthusiasts have pondered whether advances in computing could spell doom for blockchain security. And with El Capitan stealing the spotlight, it’s a valid question to ask. But here’s the good news — it’s not likely.

Why Is This Good for Blockchain

For new crypto users, one of the first questions they ask us is: “Is blockchain really safe?”

Blockchain is the most secure tech we have now and for the foreseeable future. The vast majority of exploits and hacks happen to smart contracts, not the blockchain itself. 

If money is stolen in crypto, it’s because you as a user made a mistake or whoever wrote the code made one. Blockchain is private, secure, and the best option we have available right now for regular people like us. 

Technologies such as El Capitan showcase where computing is headed, but they haven’t caught up with blockchain encryption. Besides, the crypto world constantly evolves, with developers proactively creating new cryptographic solutions to counter future threats, including quantum computing.

For now, your funds are far safer on a properly secured blockchain than in, say, a traditional bank account (which typically relies on far less robust encryption methods).