Charles Hoskinson, founder of Cardano, is sounding the alarm about the rush in adopting post-quantum cryptography. According to him, blockchains will have to accept major compromises to protect themselves from future quantum computers. But when will this threat really become critical?
In brief
- Post-quantum cryptography already exists and was standardized by NIST in 2024, but its implementation would drastically reduce the performance of blockchains.
- Hoskinson recommends monitoring DARPA's program, which targets 2033, to determine whether industrial-scale quantum computing is feasible.
- Cardano favors network cryptography while Ethereum focuses on hash functions, two distinct approaches to countering the quantum threat.
- The Cardano founder proposes a gradual mitigation strategy rather than an immediate radical change to the protocol.
Solutions exist, but at what cost?
Charles Hoskinson has just shattered a stubborn illusion in the crypto ecosystem. Yes, post-quantum cryptography exists. No, it is not ready to be deployed massively without consequences. The founder of Cardano points to a crucial timing problem: acting too early could paralyze blockchain networks.
The figures he puts forward are dizzying. “ Post-quantum cryptography is often about 10 times slower, the proofs are 10 times larger, and it is 10 times less efficient “, he explains.
Concretely, adopting these new protocols would amount to dividing the throughput of blockchains by ten. A bleak prospect for networks already facing scalability challenges.
The American National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has however published post-quantum standards from 2024. The problem therefore does not lie in the absence of technical solutions, but in their cost of implementation.
Miners and validators do not yet have the necessary hardware to compensate for this loss of performance. Hoskinson therefore pleads for a measured approachrefusing to give in to panic.
To assess the real risk, the founder of Cardano advises following DARPA's quantum computing benchmark initiative rather than the marketing announcements of tech companies.
This American agency has set 2033 as the target year to determine whether industrial-scale quantum computing is viable. “ It is the best independent and objective reference point “, says Hoskinson.
Two schools clash in crypto
The blockchain industry faces a major strategic dilemma. Two cryptographic approaches are vying for developers' favor, and each side makes its case with conviction.
Ethereum has chosen STARKs and hashing cryptography. Cardano, for its part, focuses on network cryptography. Hoskinson compares the situation to the duel between Blu-ray and HD DVD: “We'll see which one the market chooses.”
Hash cryptography appeals with its simplicity and proven robustness. It is based on well-studied mathematical functions, considered secure against future quantum attacks. Its main fault? It excels for digital signatures but remains limited for general encryption.
Network cryptography offers more flexibility. It not only signs data, it also enables encryption and advanced cryptographic tools.
Hoskinson sees a huge advantage: the ability to use standard graphics cards for crypto operations. “ You can reuse hundreds of billions of dollars of AI supercomputers “, he emphasizes. No more expensive specific integrated circuits.
Faced with this uncertainty, Cardano is adopting a pragmatic strategy. No radical upheaval of the protocol, but a gradual mitigation of risk.
The project notably explores the creation of post-quantum control points of its blockchain history via systems like Mithril and the Midnight sidechain. A cautious approach that recognizes an unavoidable reality: “ These systems always involve compromises », concludes Hoskinson.
In short, the quantum threat looms over crypto, but haste would be counterproductive. Between current performance and future security, the industry must navigate with caution. The coming decade will be decisive in determining which cryptographic approach will dominate the post-quantum era.
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