Ethereum Foundation Forms Team for Post-Quantum Security
The Ethereum Foundation has announced the establishment of a dedicated team focused on post-quantum security (PQ) as a critical strategic initiative.
This marks a significant turning point in the Ethereum Foundation’s long-term quantum strategy. The new Post Quantum (PQ) team is led by Thomas Coratger, a cryptographic engineer at the EF, along with Emile from the leanVM team, as highlighted by researcher Justin Drake.
The journey towards post-quantum security began in 2019 with the Eth3.0 Quantum Security presentation at StarkWare Sessions. Since 2024, PQ has been a central component of the leanEthereum concept, with rapid advancements in engineering breakthroughs in PQ. As we enter 2026, timelines for implementing these advancements are accelerating.
According to Drake, leanVM plays a crucial role in Ethereum’s post-quantum cryptography strategy. This virtual machine is specifically designed for utilizing zero-knowledge proofs and quantum-resistant hash-based signatures.
In November 2025, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin issued a warning about the potential vulnerability of the cryptocurrency’s underlying elliptic cryptography by 2028. The project’s goal is to transition to quantum-resistant technologies promptly and seamlessly without any downtime or loss of funds.
Several steps have already been implemented or planned to achieve this goal. Consensus client teams Lighthouse and Grandine have integrated post-quantum developer networks, with a similar solution on the way from Prysm. The EF is also launching a $1 million prize to enhance the reliability of hash functions, with an equal sum allocated for the Proximity Prize initiative. Weekly developer sessions focused on post-quantum security will commence under the guidance of Antonio Sanso next month. These sessions will concentrate on user-oriented security aspects such as account abstraction and signature aggregation using leanVM.
While the Ethereum community is proactively addressing quantum risk, the Bitcoin community is also aware of the potential threat posed by quantum computing. However, there are varying timelines within the Bitcoin community regarding when this risk may materialize. Although some experts believe the risk may materialize by 2028-2030, others like Adam Back suggest it may not be a real concern for another two to four decades. Nic Carter from Castle Island Ventures has criticized Bitcoin developers for allegedly overlooking the quantum computing threat, while other analysts disagree, emphasizing the gradual consensus-building process within the community.
Overall, the transition to quantum-resistant technologies will be a significant challenge for both Ethereum and Bitcoin. Implementing these advanced security measures will require substantial planning, collaboration, and a meticulous approach to ensure the protection of these valuable digital assets.
