The announcement shook the crypto ecosystem this Friday. There Ethereum Foundation officially announced the creation of a team dedicated to post-quantum security, supported by $2 million in funding. The move marks a strategic turning point for the world's second-largest blockchain, elevating quantum resistance to a top priority.
In Brief
- The Ethereum Foundation is launching a dedicated post-quantum security team with $2 million in funding, making quantum resilience a major strategic priority.
- Several post-quantum test networks are already online, with concrete progress towards a seamless, multi-year transition.
- Ethereum is moving ahead of traditional finance in the race for quantum-resistant infrastructure as the quantum threat accelerates.
An elite team to protect Ethereum
Researcher Justin Drake revealed the composition of this new Post-Quantum (PQ) team. Thomas Coratgera renowned cryptographic engineer, takes over as director. He will be supported by Emile, a key contributor to the leanVM project — a minimalist zero-knowledge virtual machine that constitutes the cornerstone of Ethereum's post-quantum strategy.
“ After years of quiet R&D, EF management has officially declared PQ security a top strategic priority, » said Drake on X. « We are in 2026, deadlines are accelerating. It’s time to fully transition to PQ.“
This initiative does not come out of nowhere. It stems from discussions that began in 2019 with a presentation entitled “ Eth3.0 Quantum Security » during the StarkWare Sessions. Post-quantum considerations have become central to the “lean Ethereum” vision from 2024.
$2M in prize money to strengthen crypto
The Ethereum Foundation is supporting this announcement with substantial financial support. Two competitions, each with 1 million dollarsaim to consolidate the cryptographic foundations of the network.
THE Poseidon Prize targets the strengthening of the Poseidon hash function, a critical component of zero-knowledge systems. THE Proximity Price continues research into cryptography based on hash functions, considered more resistant to quantum attacks.
“ We rely heavily on hash function-based cryptography to benefit from the strongest and cleanest cryptographic foundations, » explained Drake. This technical orientation favors proven solutions over experimental approaches.
Test networks already operational
The remarkable aspect of this announcement lies in the concrete progress already made. Several teams are already using multi-client post-quantum development networks. Pioneering teams Zeam, Ream Labs, PierTwo, client Gean and Ethlambda collaborate with established consensus clients like Lighthouse, Grandine and Prysm.
Weekly interoperability sessions, coordinated by Will Corcoran, ensure consistency between different implementations. Antonio Sanso will launch bi-weekly sessions dedicated to post-quantum transactions for all core developers next month.
The Ethereum Foundation will publish a detailed roadmap on pq.ethereum.org. The stated objective: a complete transition over several years, with zero loss of funds and zero interruption of service.
Why this urgency now?
The quantum threat is no longer a theoretical abstraction. In November 2025, Vitalik Buterin itself has warned that Ethereum's underlying elliptical cryptography could become vulnerable by 2028. Experts now estimate that quantum computers capable of breaking current algorithms will arrive in 5 to 15 years.
Shor's algorithm would derive private keys from exposed public keys. Bitcoin and Ethereum are based on ECDSA cryptography, which is directly under threat. BlackRock even mentioned this risk in its filing on the Bitcoin ETF, highlighting the growing attention from institutions.
Even more worrying: the attacks “ harvest now, decrypt later » consist of collecting encrypted data today to decrypt it later. Malicious actors are not waiting for “Q-Day” to act.
A race between blockchains and traditional finance
Franklin Bi, general partner at Pantera Capital, offers an interesting perspective. According to him, traditional financial institutions will struggle to transition to post-quantum crypto. “ People overestimate how quickly Wall Street will adapt, » he declared.
Blockchains have a unique advantage: the ability to coordinate system updates on a large global scale. Bi predicts that some blockchains could become “ post-quantum safe havens for data and assets“, especially as traditional systems experience prolonged periods of vulnerability.
This vision resonates with the initiatives of other players in the sector. Coinbase recently formed a quantum computing advisory committee, in which Ethereum now participates. This coordination between major players testifies to a growing collective consciousness.
The DePIN ecosystem on the front lines
Beyond Ethereum, the sector Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) positions itself as a key player in post-quantum security. These networks, which decentralize the physical infrastructure itself, provide natural resilience against single points of failure.
Among the pioneering projects, Naoris Protocol stands out for its native post-quantum approach. Unlike blockchains which must migrate to new standards, this protocol integrates cryptography Dilithium-5 approved by NIST from the outset. Its testnet has processed more than 105 million post-quantum transactions since January 2025.
Naoris' SubZero Layer approach illustrates a philosophy complementary to that of Ethereum. Rather than securing only the application layers, the protocol operates below existing Layers 1 to validate the integrity of the nodes in real time. Blockchains can thus inherit quantum protections without major changes to the code.
What this means for ETH holders
For Ethereum investors, this announcement sends a positive signal. The foundation anticipates threats rather than reacting in crisis mode. Allocating significant resources demonstrates concrete commitment, not mere communication.
However, the transition will take several years. Holders will likely need to migrate their funds to new secure addresses when the time comes. Following official announcements on pq.ethereum.org will keep you informed of upcoming steps.
Independent educator sassal.eth summarizes the issues: quantum computing represents “ a very real threat to blockchains » who arrives « sooner than most people think. » Ethereum's readiness could be the difference between a controlled transition and a major security crisis.
FAQ: Ethereum and Post-Quantum Security
A dedicated team led by Thomas Coratger, responsible for developing cryptographic solutions resistant to quantum computers. It benefits from funding of 2 million dollars.
Experts estimate between 5 and 15 years before quantum computers can compromise current cryptography. Vitalik Buterin mentions possible vulnerability by 2028.
No. The transition will be gradual and planned. The Ethereum Foundation aims for zero loss of funds and zero downtime. Stay informed via official channels.
Coinbase has created a dedicated advisory board. In the DePIN sector, protocols like Naoris Protocol natively integrate the post-quantum cryptography Dilithium-5 .
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