Vitalik Buterin details quantum-resistance roadmap for Ethereum
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin released a roadmap to bolster the network’s defenses against quantum computing, identifying four components he views as most susceptible: validator signatures, data storage, user account signatures, and zero-knowledge proofs. He outlined the plan on Thursday, noting that upgrading these areas will be complex and require extensive engineering work.
For validator signatures, Buterin proposed replacing the existing BLS (Boneh-Lynn-Shacham) consensus signatures with “Lean” hash-based signatures that are considered quantum-safe. He added that selecting the underlying hash function is a critical, long-term decision, stating, “This may be ‘Ethereum’s last hash function’, so it’s important to choose wisely.” Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake proposed “Lean Ethereum,” a plan to make the network quantum-secure, in August 2025.
Quantum-safe data storage and account upgrades
Regarding data availability (“blobs”), Ethereum currently relies on KZG (Kate-Zaverucha-Goldberg) commitments for storing and verifying data. The roadmap calls for migrating to STARKs (Zero-Knowledge Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge), which are regarded as quantum-resistant. Buterin described the change as feasible but emphasized that it will require significant implementation effort.
The third area concerns user accounts. Ethereum’s current ECDSA (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm) would be upgraded so accounts can adopt alternative signature schemes, including “lattice-based” quantum-resistant options. Buterin noted that quantum-safe signatures are computationally heavier and would increase gas usage. He said the long-term remedy is protocol-layer recursive signature and proof aggregation to lower these gas costs to near zero.
High cost of quantum-resistant proofs
Quantum-resistant proofs are expensive to verify onchain. Buterin again pointed to protocol-layer recursive signature and proof aggregation as the solution. Rather than verifying each signature and proof individually onchain, a single aggregated “validation frame” would attest to thousands at once, keeping verification costs near zero.
He explained that, under this approach, a block could include a thousand validation frames, each containing either a 3kB signature or a 256kB proof.
Buterin floated the concept of a recursive-STARK-based bandwidth-efficient mempool in January. Source: ETHresearch
Buterin also commented on the Ethereum Foundation’s “Strawmap” on Thursday, saying he anticipates “progressive decreases of both slot time and finality time.”
Stay informed, read the latest news right now!
Disclaimer
The content on TrustsCrypto.com is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency markets are highly volatile, always do your own research before making decisions.
Some content may be assisted by AI and reviewed by our editorial team, but accuracy is not guaranteed. TrustsCrypto.com is not responsible for any losses resulting from the use of information provided.
