Google has lowered the threshold for hacking Ethereum by 20 times, but protection is already being prepared.
The quantum threat to cryptocurrencies is no longer theoretical. In March 2026, Google Quantum AI published a study that fundamentally changes the perception of Ethereum's security. According to new data, cracking the electronic signature scheme protecting every network account will require approximately 20 times less computing power than previously thought. While earlier estimates spoke of tens of thousands of logical qubits, this threshold has now been lowered to 1,200.
Why is this critical for Ethereum?
Ethereum's security is based on the ECDSA algorithm (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm). When a user sends a transaction, their public key becomes available on the network. A sufficiently powerful quantum computer could derive the private key from it and drain the wallet. Current quantum systems are not yet capable of this, but 1,200 logical qubits is no longer science fiction—it is a concrete benchmark for engineers.
It is important to understand that about 0.1% of funds on the Ethereum network are in addresses with exposed public keys. These wallets are already vulnerable today. The threat affects not only asset holders but also validators, data availability guarantees, and zero-knowledge proof systems that underpin most rollup protocols. All of this infrastructure relies on mathematics that a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could break.
What is the Ethereum team doing?
The Ethereum Foundation is not sitting idle. In January 2026, a dedicated Post-Quantum Security team was formed, led by Tom Coratger. It operates fully transparently—all results are available on the project's website. One of the key researchers, Justin Drake, considers protection against the quantum threat a top strategic priority.
The Foundation has announced the Poseidon Prize—a $1 million award for breakthrough solutions in hash-based cryptography. These developments rely on three post-quantum cryptography standards approved by NIST in August 2024.
In the near term, EIP-8141 is being considered—a standard that implements account abstraction at the network level and gives each user the right to choose their own signature scheme. This standard is planned to be included in the Hegota hard fork, scheduled for the second half of 2026.
Ethereum expects to complete its technical restructuring by approximately 2029—the same milestone that Google has set for its own systems. For those who want to protect themselves today, the Foundation's Kohaku project is suitable. It allows creating a quantum-resistant smart account based on the ERC-4337 standard, which relies on account abstraction. No hard fork is needed for this, and the procedure costs approximately $0.07 on the first-layer test network.
The rest of the blockchain industry
None of the major blockchains have responded to the threat like Ethereum. Bitcoin, Solana, and others face similar vulnerabilities: the ECDSA signature scheme is used across the industry. But no project has assembled a dedicated post-quantum security team or presented a comparable action plan.
The figure of 1,200 qubits is not yet a death sentence: serious engineering challenges must be solved before quantum hardware reaches this level. But a 20-fold reduction in the risk estimate, especially following one of the most advanced quantum programs in the world, is not a signal the rest of the market can continue to postpone.
Expert opinion: While Ethereum demonstrates a proactive approach, other networks risk being caught off guard. A market that ignores the quantum threat may face a crisis of confidence long before quantum computers become a reality.