Ethereum Foundation Forms Post-Quantum Security Team

Leadership and Collaboration Across EF

Thomas Coratger, a respected researcher with a deep focus on Ethereum’s technical evolution, now leads the PQ team. Emile, the core developer behind leanVM, a critical cryptographic engine has also joined. The initiative extends well beyond a single group, drawing in talent from across the Ethereum Foundation. Researchers such as Antonio Sanso (PQ transactions), Alex Hicks (formal verification and AI-assisted proofs), and Will Corcoran (PQ devnet coordination) will all contribute.

Drake himself continues to play a leading role as both advocate and organizer, working closely with EF teams and external collaborators.

Why Quantum Security Now?

The EF’s interest in PQ cryptography isn’t new. It dates back to a 2019 presentation on “Eth3.0 Quantum Security” at StarkWare Sessions. However, recent breakthroughs in quantum computing have accelerated the need for stronger defenses. Ethereum’s current reliance on elliptic curve cryptography (ECC)—including ECDSA and BLS signatures—leaves it vulnerable to attacks by quantum algorithms like Shor’s, which could eventually forge signatures and compromise user funds.

To counter this, Ethereum is exploring alternatives such as hash-based and lattice-based cryptography, multivariate schemes, and particularly zk-STARKs, which offer quantum resistance and eliminate the need for trusted setups.

Inside Ethereum’s Post-Quantum Strategy

The EF has outlined a comprehensive plan to make Ethereum fully post-quantum secure. Key initiatives include:

• PQ Core Dev Breakouts: Starting February, Antonio Sanso will lead bi-weekly sessions focused on upgrading account abstraction and signature verification using PQ tools like leanVM.
• Devnets and Testing: Ethereum already runs multi-client PQ consensus testnets involving teams like Lighthouse, Prysm, and Ream Labs. Will Corcoran leads weekly coordination.
• Incentives: The $1 million Poseidon Prize encourages research on the Poseidon hash function, central to Ethereum’s hash-based strategy. A related $1 million Proximity Prize targets other PQ cryptographic advancements.
• AI and Formal Verification: Ethereum researchers recently used AI to prove a complex lemma in hash-based SNARKs—at a cost of just $200 and within eight hours—showcasing AI’s potential in cryptography.
• Education and Outreach: The EF is producing educational content, including a six-part video series in collaboration with ZKPodcast. EF’s Enterprise Acceleration team is also developing materials for governments and corporations.

The foundation has also joined Coinbase’s PQ advisory board, underscoring its role in shaping broader industry standards.

ZKnox and PSE: On-the-Ground Advancements

Beyond the core PQ team, Ethereum Foundation–backed groups like ZKnox and Privacy & Scaling Explorations (PSE) continue to push technical boundaries:

• ZKnox has optimized PQ signature schemes for Ethereum, reducing the gas cost of FALCON verification by 12x. Their work will help bring post-quantum wallets and smart contracts to life.
• PSE is exploring fully homomorphic encryption, post-quantum P2P messaging, and smooth transitions away from ECC. They are preparing Ethereum for large PQ keys, composite signature schemes, and potential rollouts at Layer 2.

EF has also awarded $12 million to STARKware to integrate zk-STARKs into Ethereum’s scaling roadmap—another layer of quantum resistance.

Looking Ahead: Ethereum 3.0 and Long-Term Security

The EF plans to publish a detailed roadmap at pq.ethereum.org, laying out Ethereum’s transition to PQ security. The goal is ambitious: upgrade Ethereum’s cryptography with zero fund loss and zero downtime.

Several upgrades already point in this direction:

• Ethereum 2.0, launched in 2022, adopted Proof of Stake with better PQ properties.
• Ethereum 3.0, expected by 2027, will introduce Winternitz signatures and fully integrate zk-STARKs to remove ECC reliance entirely.
• New opcodes for verifying zk-STARK proofs will replace today’s elliptic curve–based account code.

Vitalik Buterin has also emphasized quantum security in his vision for Ethereum’s long-term ossification and decentralization. In a January 2026 essay, he named “century-scale quantum resistance” as a key requirement for a self-sustaining Ethereum.

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