StarkWare unveils post-quantum protection roadmap for Starknet: three phases to full security
The crypto industry is increasingly preparing for the arrival of the quantum era, and StarkWare, the company behind the L2 network Starknet, is taking a decisive step forward. We are witnessing the publication of an ambitious three-phase roadmap aimed at fully transitioning the network to post-quantum cryptography. This is not just a plan, but a statement of intent, which the team describes as the "strongest" in the industry.
The key goal is to replace all remaining dependencies on elliptic curves, which are a vulnerability in the face of powerful quantum computers. The first phase includes replacing Pedersen hashing with the more robust BLAKE2 in state commitments, contract addresses, and network configuration. It also plans to implement post-quantum consensus signatures, such as Falcon-512. This is critical, as Pedersen is based on elliptic curves, while BLAKE2, being a hash function, is more resistant to quantum attacks.
Migration and External Dependencies
The second phase focuses on creating tools for migrating existing contracts. This will allow applications and wallets to smoothly transition to new cryptographic schemes, avoiding sudden compatibility breaks. The third phase is the most complex, as it involves external dependencies on Ethereum, including bridge system calls and data availability through BLOBs. Starknet cannot fully upgrade these elements on its own, making the final stage dependent on the base layer's post-quantum migration.
Starknet's architectural advantage lies in its use of STARK proofs, which are already considered post-quantum resistant as they do not rely on elliptic curves. However, vulnerable elements remained, such as Pedersen hashing and account cryptography. Starknet's native account abstraction simplifies the task: signature logic resides at the smart contract level, allowing wallets to use different schemes without a network hard fork. In April 2026, the post-quantum wallet S2morrow, using Falcon-512, was already launched.
Expert Assessment
StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson called the confidence in the long-term security of blockchains based on elliptic curves an "elliptic illusion." The industry is indeed preparing too slowly for risks that are no longer hypothetical. Google's estimates that breaking 256-bit cryptography would require about 1,200 logical qubits underscore the urgency. While the Ethereum Foundation and Ripple have also presented their roadmaps, Starknet's approach, with its focus on STARK proofs and account abstraction, appears the most well-thought-out and ready for implementation. The market, unfortunately, still relies on classical signature schemes, and StarkWare is setting the right direction for the entire ecosystem.