Ethereum Foundation forms post-quantum security team, adds $1 million research prize

The Ethereum Foundation (EF) has announced a major strategic initiative to fortify the blockchain against the existential threat posed by future quantum computers. The foundation is establishing a dedicated Post-Quantum Security Team and is allocating a significant $1 million research prize pool to accelerate the development and integration of quantum-resistant cryptography (PQC).

The primary motivation for this effort is the widely known vulnerability of Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)—which currently secures Ethereum addresses and transaction signing—to Shor’s algorithm, runnable on a sufficiently powerful quantum machine. If the network were not upgraded before the advent of such a device, user funds and network integrity would be critically jeopardized.

The new EF security team is mandated to lead the transition to PQC standards. This involves rigorous research into candidate cryptographic schemes, such as lattice-based or hash-based signatures, and developing proofs-of-concept for integrating them seamlessly into Ethereum’s core protocol, execution clients, and wallet infrastructure. The goal is to minimize complexity while maximizing security efficiency.

The $1 million research prize is specifically designed to incentivize global cryptographic researchers to address blockchain-specific PQC challenges. Priorities include developing gas-optimized, quantum-resistant signature schemes that are suitable for the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) environment, exploring secure methods for PQC key derivation, and ensuring future smart contract functionality remains robust.

While a full-scale quantum computer capable of breaking current cryptography is not immediately available, the EF stresses that proactive measures are necessary due to the substantial time required for decentralized systems like Ethereum to design, test, and deploy network-wide protocol upgrades. This commitment signals the EF’s dedication to long-term resilience and future-proofing the Ethereum ecosystem.

Source: Ethereum Foundation forms post-quantum security team, adds $1 million research prize