Ethereum will introduce protection against quantum threats. A major update to encryption algorithms and transaction verification methods is expected in the blockchain by 2026.

Now, the quantum resistance roadmap.

Today, four things in Ethereum are quantum-vulnerable:

* consensus-layer BLS signatures
* data availability (KZG commitments+proofs)
* EOA signatures (ECDSA)
* Application-layer ZK proofs (KZG or groth16)

We can tackle these step by step:…

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) February 26, 2026

Currently, the protocol has four components vulnerable to quantum computers: consensus signatures, data availability, user address algorithms, and ZK proofs. The update plan includes a step-by-step overhaul of the network.

The existing validator signatures will be completely replaced with hash-based cryptography. A fast hashing algorithm will be selected for the new system, as standard solutions are slow.

The network will abandon the current verification system (KZG) in favor of STARK proofs. This will require extensive technical work, as the new algorithms take up significant space. The team will need to optimize data storage.

User Wallets

A new type of transaction will be added to the protocol, featuring validation abstraction and gas fees (EIP-8141). This will allow the use of any cryptographic systems for signing transactions, not just ECDSA. Quantum-resistant algorithms are larger and more expensive than standard ones. To prevent network fees from rising, the network will update its mathematical computation mechanisms.

Quantum-safe proofs incur prohibitively high fees—around 10 million gas. The solution will be protocol-level aggregation. Transactions will be verified before being included in a block, in the mempool. Every half second, nodes will send only one "light" proof of all computations' validity to the main network. This will reduce system load and lower transaction costs.

As a reminder, in January, the Ethereum Foundation declared post-quantum security as one of its main strategic priorities and formed a dedicated team of developers.