In a major strategic move that could redefine the future of blockchain security, the Ethereum Foundation officially announced on January 23, 2026, the formation of a specialized post-quantum security team, backed by a massive $2 million investment in research prizes. This initiative marks a decisive turning point in addressing the cryptographic threats posed by emerging quantum computers.
A Strategic Inflection Point for Ethereum
Justin Drake, a prominent researcher at the Ethereum Foundation, described this announcement as « an inflection point in the Ethereum Foundation’s long-term quantum strategy. » After years of discreet research initiated in 2019, the organization is now elevating post-quantum security to the status of a central strategic priority.
« After years of low-key R&D, the EF leadership has officially declared PQ security a major strategic priority. It’s 2026, the timelines are accelerating. It’s time to go full post-quantum, » Drake emphasized.
An Elite Team to Meet the Quantum Challenge
The newly formed Post-Quantum team will be led by Thomas Coratger, a cryptographic engineer at the Ethereum Foundation with a doctorate in applied mathematics. He will be supported by Emile, a specialist in the leanVM project, a minimal cryptographic virtual machine optimized for zero-knowledge proofs and quantum-resistant hash-based signatures.
Researcher Antonio Sanso will lead bi-weekly development sessions dedicated to post-quantum transactions, beginning in February 2026. These meetings will focus on critical aspects of user-oriented security, including account abstraction, signature aggregation, and the integration of dedicated cryptographic precompiles.
$2 Million in Research Prizes
The Ethereum Foundation is deploying significant financial resources to stimulate innovation in quantum-resistant cryptography, with two prizes of one million dollars each:
The Poseidon Prize ($1 million)
This prize aims to strengthen the robustness of the Poseidon hash function, a cryptographic algorithm specifically designed for zero-knowledge applications. Unlike traditional hash functions like SHA-256, Poseidon is optimized for ZK proofs and uses up to 8 times fewer constraints per message bit than Pedersen hashing.
Vitalik Buterin personally encouraged cryptographers to participate in the Poseidon security analysis program, stating: « We’re seriously considering migrating Ethereum to Poseidon hashing to optimize compatibility with zk-provers, so getting more information about its security properties is extremely valuable. »
The Proximity Prize ($1 million)
This second prize funds broader research on quantum-resistant technology for blockchain. It complements the Poseidon Prize by encouraging exploration of various post-quantum cryptographic approaches adapted to decentralized environments.
The Quantum Threat: Closer Than We Think
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has issued several serious warnings regarding the timeline of quantum threats:
- In November 2025, he estimated a 20% probability that quantum computers could break current cryptography by 2030
- He predicted that Ethereum’s elliptic curve cryptography could become vulnerable as early as 2028
- At the Devconnect conference in Bangkok, he stated bluntly: « Elliptic curves are going to die »
« Delaying preparations only increases the danger, as adding protections after a quantum attack begins could be too late, » Buterin warned.
Google Willow: A Worrying Breakthrough
Google’s announcement of its Willow quantum chip on December 9, 2024, significantly intensified the urgency of the post-quantum transition. This revolutionary chip presents impressive features:
- 105-qubit processor with 99.5% two-qubit gate fidelity
- Solution to the three-decade-old « scale-up » problem: adding qubits now exponentially reduces errors instead of increasing them
- Random Circuit Sampling benchmark: 5 minutes for a task that would take classical supercomputers 10 septillion years
However, it’s important to put this in perspective: Willow currently operates at less than 0.001% of the capacity needed to break SHA-256. Experts estimate that 1,500 to 3,000 fault-tolerant logical qubits would be required to break ECDSA, far beyond current capabilities.
Ethereum vs Bitcoin: Compared Vulnerabilities
According to a detailed analysis by Deloitte conducted in 2021, more than 65% of all circulating Ether is vulnerable to a quantum attack. This high vulnerability is explained by Ethereum’s account model:
- The account model encourages address reuse
- Public keys are exposed after any outgoing transaction
- A quantum attacker can scan Ethereum’s state tree to identify all addresses that have already sent a transaction
- ERC-20 tokens associated with these addresses are also vulnerable
In comparison, approximately 25% of all Bitcoins are susceptible to a quantum attack. Bitcoin’s UTXO model naturally generates new addresses for each transaction, offering better default protection.
Post-Quantum Cryptographic Solutions
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) published its first post-quantum cryptography standards in August 2024. Ethereum is exploring several families of quantum-resistant algorithms:
1. Hash-Based Signatures
- Winternitz XMSS: Transforms a collection of one-time signatures into a multi-use signature scheme using a Merkle tree
- SPHINCS (SLH-DSA): 17-51 KB signatures
- Advantage: Rely solely on collision resistance of hash functions
2. Lattice-Based Cryptography
- Falcon-1024: 1.75 KB keys, 1.25 KB signatures
- ML-DSA and ML-KEM: Main NIST standards
- Advantage: Better balance between size and performance
3. zk-STARKs
Zero-Knowledge Scalable Transparent Arguments of Knowledge represent a particularly promising approach for Ethereum. This technology relies on collision-resistant hash functions rather than elliptic curves, requires no trusted setup, and is already used in the Ethereum ecosystem.
Technical Infrastructure: leanVM at the Heart of the Strategy
LeanVM constitutes the cryptographic cornerstone of Ethereum’s entire post-quantum strategy. This specialized virtual machine is distinguished by its optimization for zero-knowledge proofs, compatibility with quantum-resistant signatures, and minimalist architecture facilitating formal verification.
According to the development roadmap, the hash-based multi-signature project currently reaches 70% completion. This approach uses Winternitz XMSS (Extended Merkle Signature Scheme) as a post-quantum replacement for BLS signatures currently employed by Ethereum.
Multi-Client Devnets Already Operational
Unlike many blockchain initiatives that remain at the conceptual stage, Ethereum has already deployed functional post-quantum multi-client development networks:
- Lighthouse: Has implemented PQ development networks
- Grandine: Has implemented PQ development networks
- Prysm: Deployment expected soon
Weekly PQ interoperability calls are coordinated by Will Corcoran to ensure consistency across different client implementations.
Emergency Hard Fork Strategy
Vitalik Buterin has proposed a detailed emergency recovery protocol in the event of a quantum attack. This plan includes blockchain reversion, disabling traditional EOA transactions, and using STARK proofs to allow users to prove ownership without exposing private keys.
« I argue that we’re actually already well-positioned to execute a fairly simple recovery fork to handle such a situation, » Buterin stated.
Ethereum’s Competitive Advantage
Ethereum has several structural advantages for navigating the post-quantum transition:
- Active governance with faster consensus on protocol changes
- Native account abstraction facilitating smooth cryptographic transitions
- Proven hard fork mechanism
- Multi-client coordination already in place with operational PQ devnets
Franklin Bi, Managing Partner at Pantera Capital, predicts difficulties for traditional financial institutions to adapt: « People underestimate how slow Wall Street will be to transition to post-quantum cryptography. Blockchain networks have unique advantages for system-wide upgrades at a global scale. »
Global Migration Timelines
The European Commission and Member States unveiled a coordinated roadmap on June 23, 2025:
- End of 2026: All Member States must initiate their PQC transition
- End of 2030: High-risk systems must be secured with PQC
- 2035: Completion of the transition for as many systems as possible
Next Steps and Educational Initiatives
The Ethereum Foundation plans to publish a detailed strategic roadmap at pq.ethereum.org, outlining a comprehensive transition plan aiming for zero loss of funds and zero downtime. Several events are planned:
- March 29, 2026: PQ Day in Cannes before EthCC
- October 2026: Three-day PQ workshop
- Educational video series: Six episodes by ZKPodcast
- Bi-weekly developer sessions: Starting February 2026
Conclusion: A Race Against Time
The cryptocurrency industry now represents a market capitalization of over $3 trillion. Even a 20% probability of catastrophic security failure by 2030 demands serious attention.
« Quantum computers won’t break cryptocurrency today. But the industry needs to start adopting post-quantum cryptography well before quantum attacks become practical, » Buterin emphasized.
The formation of Ethereum’s Post-Quantum team and the allocation of $2 million in research funding mark a crucial turning point in the blockchain industry’s preparation for the quantum threat. As deadlines approach, the time to act is now.
As Justin Drake stated: « It’s time to go full post-quantum. » For investors, developers, and users of the Ethereum ecosystem, following the evolution of this initiative at pq.ethereum.org will be essential to understand how the network will protect hundreds of billions of dollars in value in the coming quantum era.
