{"id":"hunter-beast","title":"Hunter Beast","content":"**Hunter Beast**, known professionally by the alias \"cryptoquick,\" is a software developer specializing in the [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) protocol and the Rust programming language. He is a prominent contributor to the [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) ecosystem, recognized primarily as the author of [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) Improvement Proposal 360 (BIP-360), which aims to introduce quantum-resistant addresses to the [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) network. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-XDEezVBKLWCWaQZ0) [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-yLQSDbTq2ouXDM3Q)​\n\n## Career\n\nHunter Beast's professional journey in the digital currency space is marked by a distinct and public transition from a generalist in [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) to a specialist focused exclusively on [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin). His online alias, \"cryptoquick,\" predates the existence of [cryptocurrencies](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency). He adopted the name in 2005 for use in Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channels on the FreeNode network. In 2009, he registered the domain name `cryptoquick.com`, still before he had heard of [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin). Beast has noted the irony of the name in retrospect, suggesting that \"bitcoinslow\" might have been more appropriate given [Bitcoin's](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) deliberate development pace, but he continues to use the original alias to maintain a consistent identity and prevent impersonators from targeting his followers. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-Wld449gI2KhnHOXv) [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-XDEezVBKLWCWaQZ0)​\n\nBeast's serious engagement with the [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) industry began around 2018, when his interests were centered on the broader [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) space. During this period, he contributed to the development of the [Filecoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/filecoin) protocol, a decentralized storage network. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-Wld449gI2KhnHOXv) [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-yLQSDbTq2ouXDM3Q)​\n\nA pivotal moment in his career occurred in February 2021 after he read \"*The Bitcoin Standard*\" by Saifedean Ammous. Beast described the experience as leading to an \"obsession\" with [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin), which fundamentally shifted his professional focus. Following this, he adopted the viewpoint often described as [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) maximalism, coming to believe that [Bitcoin's](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) layered architecture obviates the need for other [Layer 1](https://iq.wiki/wiki/layer-1) [blockchains](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain). After this shift, he specialized in developing with Rust for [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) and its associated second-layer technologies. For a two-year period, he worked with the company DIBA on the BitMask wallet, a project focused on implementing RGB, a [smart contract](https://iq.wiki/wiki/smart-contract) system for [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) and the [Lightning Network](https://iq.wiki/wiki/lightning-network). As of early 2026, he is the founder and developer of a venture named Surmount Systems. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-Wld449gI2KhnHOXv) [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-XDEezVBKLWCWaQZ0)​\n\n## Major Works and Contributions\n\nBeast's work is concentrated on enhancing the functionality, scalability, and long-term security of the [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) protocol. His contributions include a significant [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) Improvement Proposal, the creation of development libraries, and various open-source projects. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-yLQSDbTq2ouXDM3Q)​\n\n### Bitcoin Improvement Proposal 360 (BIP-360)\n\nBeast is the primary author of BIP-360, a proposal designed to make the [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) network resistant to potential threats from quantum computers. The development of functional quantum computers poses a long-term risk to many forms of modern public-key cryptography, including the ECDSA algorithm currently used by [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) to secure funds. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-XDEezVBKLWCWaQZ0)​\n\nBIP-360 proposes a quantum-resistant soft fork for [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin). A soft fork is a backward-compatible upgrade to the network's rules, allowing upgraded nodes to interoperate with non-upgraded nodes. The proposal introduces a new address format designated as P2QRH, which stands for \"Pay-to-Quantum-Resistant-Hash.\" This new format would utilize cryptographic schemes believed to be secure against attacks from both classical and quantum computers. Beast, along with collaborators, publicly announced a draft of the proposal on June 8, 2024. After a six-month period of public discussion and refinement, the proposal was officially assigned the number BIP-360 on December 18, 2024, formally entering it into the peer review process for [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) protocol upgrades. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-XDEezVBKLWCWaQZ0)​\n\nIn support of this proposal, Beast developed `libbitcoinpqc`, a C library that implements post-quantum cryptography for [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) based on the specifications within BIP-360. His ongoing involvement in the BIP process was demonstrated by activities such as his review of a pull request for BIP-110 in the official [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) BIPS GitHub repository on February 4, 2026. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-yLQSDbTq2ouXDM3Q)​\n\n### Other Projects and Contributions\n\nBeyond his work on quantum resistance, Beast has created and contributed to numerous projects in the [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) and Rust ecosystems. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-yLQSDbTq2ouXDM3Q)​\n\n* **Surmount Systems:** Beast's current primary venture, which he founded. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-Wld449gI2KhnHOXv)\n* **Carbonado:** A project described as an \"apocalypse-resistant data storage format\" written in Rust. It is part of the `bitmask-stack` organization, related to his previous work on the BitMask wallet. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-Wld449gI2KhnHOXv) [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-yLQSDbTq2ouXDM3Q)\n* **Layered Bitcoin:** A project and website created by Beast to focus on exploring and explaining [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin)'s layered architecture, including technologies like the [Lightning Network](https://iq.wiki/wiki/lightning-network) and RGB. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-Wld449gI2KhnHOXv)\n* **`rust-bitcoin`:** He is an active contributor to the `rust-bitcoin` library, a widely used and foundational suite of tools for building Bitcoin-related applications in the Rust programming language. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-yLQSDbTq2ouXDM3Q)\n* **Seed-Encoder:** A tool he created to encode BIP-39 mnemonic seed phrases into a format suitable for creating durable physical backups on steel plates, such as those made by Punchplate. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-yLQSDbTq2ouXDM3Q)\n* **Orange Metal, Orange Coin:** Beast is the author of a newsletter on Substack with this title, where he writes about [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) and the Rust programming language. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-Wld449gI2KhnHOXv)\n* **Nostr-related Websites:** He maintains `btcfur.com` and `nostrfurs.com`, websites related to the Nostr protocol and NIP-05 identifiers. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-Wld449gI2KhnHOXv)\n\nHis open-source contributions have been recognized by their inclusion in the GitHub Arctic Code Vault, an archival facility designed to preserve important software for future generations. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-yLQSDbTq2ouXDM3Q)​","summary":"Hunter Beast, also known as 'cryptoquick,' is a Bitcoin and Rust developer. He is recognized for his work on quantum-resistant solutions for Bitcoin, authoring BIP-360, and his previous contributions to the Filecoin protocol.","images":[{"id":"QmaMS44DXDDk4Gh7ys6pgCpPTv81a3KZyW5WDiwFaG8csZ","type":"image/jpeg, image/png"}],"categories":[{"id":"people","title":"people"}],"tags":[{"id":"PeopleInDeFi"},{"id":"Developers"},{"id":"Founders"},{"id":"Protocols"}],"media":[],"metadata":[{"id":"references","value":"[\n  {\n    \"id\": \"XDEezVBKLWCWaQZ0\",\n    \"url\": \"https://x.com/cryptoquick?lang=en\",\n    \"description\": \"Hunter Beast's X profile overview\",\n    \"timestamp\": 1771065517210\n  },\n  {\n    \"id\": \"yLQSDbTq2ouXDM3Q\",\n    \"url\": \"https://github.com/cryptoquick\",\n    \"description\": \"Hunter Beast's GitHub profile\",\n    \"timestamp\": 1771065517210\n  },\n  {\n    \"id\": \"Wld449gI2KhnHOXv\",\n    \"url\": \"https://cryptoquick.com/\",\n    \"description\": \"Personal history and alias origin on cryptoquick.com\",\n    \"timestamp\": 1771065517210\n  }\n]"},{"id":"website","value":"https://cryptoquick.com/"},{"id":"twitter_profile","value":"https://x.com/cryptoquick"},{"id":"github_profile","value":"https://github.com/cryptoquick"},{"id":"commit-message","value":"\"Added wiki page for Hunter Beast (cryptoquick)\""}],"events":[{"id":"54544c49-2494-4b86-b063-0757a4cc226c","date":"2005-01","title":"Adopted Alias 'cryptoquick'","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Adopted the alias 'cryptoquick' for use in IRC chats on FreeNode, years before the advent of cryptocurrency.","link":null,"multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null},{"id":"58b1a25b-3ec9-4372-bc1b-bd61077fe71d","date":"2021-02","title":"Became Bitcoin-Focused","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Read 'The Bitcoin Standard' in February 2021, which led to an exclusive focus on the Bitcoin protocol and its ecosystem.","link":null,"multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null},{"id":"ccde6f72-5dc7-43e7-af02-b5a04c993234","date":"2024-06","title":"Proposed Quantum-Resistant Soft Fork","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Publicly announced a draft for a Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) introducing a new quantum-resistant address format called P2QRH.","link":null,"multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null},{"id":"a9634a82-5ee4-43b5-a099-c192e0c83f8e","date":"2024-12","title":"P2QRH Proposal Assigned BIP-360","type":"DEFAULT","description":"The P2QRH proposal was officially assigned the designation BIP-360, formalizing its entry into the Bitcoin development review process.","link":null,"multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null,"continent":null,"country":null}],"user":{"id":"0x8af7a19a26d8fbc48defb35aefb15ec8c407f889"},"author":{"id":"0x8af7a19a26d8fbc48defb35aefb15ec8c407f889"},"operator":{"id":"0x4a2bC97afBF41a2Cbf4b4628F63420682Ff4CF2a"},"language":"en","version":1,"linkedWikis":{"blockchains":[],"founders":[],"speakers":[]}}