Blockchain
Ethereum Foundation Elevates Post-Quantum Security to Strategic Priority
The Ethereum Foundation (EF) has made post-quantum security a top strategic priority, signalling a major shift from long-term research to active engineering amid growing concerns about the future impact of quantum computing on blockchain security. The nonprofit, which supports Ethereum’s development, has announced the formation of a dedicated Post-Quantum (PQ) team, marking one of the network’s most forward-looking security initiatives to date.
Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake said the new team will be led by Thomas Coratger, with support from Emile, a key contributor to Ethereum’s experimental execution environment, leanVM. According to Justin Drake, accelerating timelines around quantum computing mean Ethereum can no longer afford to keep post-quantum work in the background.
Why Quantum Computing Is a Threat to Ethereum
Quantum computers, which rely on fundamentally different processing methods than classical machines, could eventually break today’s cryptographic standards far faster than current computers. For blockchains like Ethereum, this raises the risk of wallet key exposure, compromised signatures, and weakened consensus mechanisms.
While most experts agree that practical quantum attacks are still years away, Drake emphasized that the real challenge lies in transition time. Upgrading cryptography across a global network, migrating wallets, and ensuring compatibility without disrupting daily usage could take years—making early preparation critical.
Today marks an inflection in the Ethereum Foundation’s long-term quantum strategy.
We’ve formed a new Post Quantum (PQ) team, led by the brilliant Thomas Coratger (@tcoratger). Joining him is Emile, one of the world-class talents behind leanVM. leanVM is the cryptographic…
— Justin Drake (@drakefjustin) January 23, 2026
leanVM and the Shift From Research to Engineering
At the center of Ethereum’s post-quantum strategy is leanVM, which Drake described as a foundational tool for enabling new cryptographic approaches. Rather than simply studying theoretical risks, the Ethereum Foundation is now moving into a build-and-test phase, focusing on user-facing defenses and protocol-level upgrades.
As part of this effort, Ethereum Foundation plans to launch biweekly developer sessions starting next month, led by researcher Antonio Sanso. These sessions will focus on post-quantum transactions, account abstraction paths, and long-term work on aggregating transaction signatures using leanVM.
Funding Research and Testing the Network
The Ethereum Foundation is also backing its strategy with significant funding. Drake announced a $1 million Poseidon Prize aimed at strengthening the Poseidon hash function, along with another $1 million initiative called the Proximity Prize, both focused on advancing post-quantum cryptography.
On the engineering side, multi-client post-quantum consensus development networks are already running, with multiple teams participating and holding weekly interoperability calls. These test networks are designed to ensure Ethereum can coordinate a smooth transition well before quantum threats become practical.
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Community, Education, and Industry Momentum
Beyond engineering, EF plans to increase community engagement and education. A dedicated post-quantum event is scheduled for October, along with a post-quantum day in late March ahead of EthCC. Educational initiatives will include video series and enterprise-focused materials to help developers and institutions prepare.
Industry voices have echoed the urgency. Franklin Bi, a general partner at Pantera Capital, noted that while traditional finance may take years to upgrade legacy systems, blockchains like Ethereum could coordinate full-stack software transitions far more quickly.
Ethereum’s Long Game on Security
Ethereum’s move underscores a broader shift in crypto markets, where headlines about quantum risk are increasingly shaping investor and developer sentiment. By prioritising post-quantum security now, Ethereum aims to future-proof the network—long before the quantum era truly arrives.
