Ethereum Foundation forms expert group to address quantum computing threats

After years of quiet research, the Ethereum Foundation (EF) has elevated post-quantum cryptography to a top strategic priority. The move to active engineering comes as the blockchain industry confronts accelerating timelines for quantum computing threats.

The non-profit organization behind the Ethereum blockchain has announced the formation of a dedicated Post Quantum (PQ) team, led by Thomas Coratger, with support from Emile, a cryptographer behind the leanVM project that forms the cryptographic cornerstone of Ethereum’s quantum defense strategy. 

This is coming just a few days after Coinbase established an independent advisory board on quantum computing, which includes Ethereum researcher Justin Drake, who made the announcement of the latest EF Post Quantum team.

Drake wrote on X, “Today marks an inflection in the Ethereum Foundation’s long-term quantum strategy.”

He stated, “Our journey began in 2019, with the “Eth3.0 Quantum Security” presentation at StarkWare Sessions. Since 2024, PQ has been central to the @leanEthereum vision. The pace of PQ engineering breakthroughs since then has been nothing short of phenomenal,” adding that after years of preparatory work, “timelines are accelerating. Time to go full PQ.”

What threats await the crypto space with quantum computing?

There is growing concern that quantum computers could eventually crack the elliptic curve cryptography, which most blockchain networks operate on, and this could potentially expose wallet keys and compromise billions of pounds in digital assets. 

While expert estimates vary widely on when such threats might materialize, ranging from as soon as 2028 to several decades away, the consensus is building that preparation cannot wait.

Industry experts estimate a five to fifteen-year timeline before quantum computers could potentially break current cryptographic standards, according to research from Chainalysis. 

The challenge is compounded by “harvest now, decrypt later” scenarios, where adversaries could collect and store cryptographic data today to crack it once quantum computing advances enough to do that.

How is the Ethereum Foundation preparing for the post-quantum phase?

The EF is placing substantial resources behind its quantum resistance efforts. Drake wrote, “Today we are announcing a $1M Poseidon Prize to harden the Poseidon hash function. We are betting big on hash-based cryptography to enjoy the strongest and leanest cryptographic foundations.” 

He also mentioned that the prize complements another $1 million initiative called the Proximity Prize, calling on the community to check it out as well. 

Previously, the foundation awarded $12 million to STARKware for work on Zero-Knowledge Scalable Transparent Arguments of Knowledge (zk-STARKS), which are central to the post-quantum strategy alongside hash-based cryptography.

Multi-client post-quantum consensus devnets are already operational, with participation from established teams. The coordination for that section is being managed by Will Corcoran through the weekly PQ interop calls. 

Antonio Sanso, a researcher at Ethereum, will lead bi-weekly All Core Devs breakout calls beginning next month to coordinate development of post-quantum transaction signatures and account abstraction features.

The foundation is also leveraging artificial intelligence for cryptographic verification, with Drake noting that Alexander Hicks, who works with the EF, ran a specialized maths AI for eight hours at a $200 cost. Drake stated that the AI “one-shotted a formal proof one of the hardest lemmas in the foundations of hash-based snarks.”

According to Drake, the feat is mind-blowing, and applied cryptography will never be the same as a result.

A comprehensive roadmap targeting “zero loss of funds and zero downtime” during the transition will be published on pq.ethereum.org, though specific timelines remain under wraps. The foundation plans workshops with a PQ day scheduled to be held in Cannes on March 29, 2026.

Drake also mentioned that the EF will be hosting a 3-day PQ event in October, and it will be attended by top experts. There is also a six-part educational video series on Ethereum’s PQ strategy that will be released by the ZKPodcast, and materials for enterprises and nation-states are being prepared by the foundation’s Enterprise Acceleration team.

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