AmericanFortress presents ZKPoSP: a new frontier in protecting crypto wallets from the quantum threat.
The race for quantum resilience in the cryptocurrency industry is gaining momentum. This time, AmericanFortress has presented a preprint of the ZKPoSP cryptographic scheme, which aims to protect hierarchical deterministic (HD) wallets from potential quantum computer attacks without the need to change addresses.
How does ZKPoSP work?
The scheme is based on replacing the classic digital signature with a non-interactive zero-knowledge proof (NIZK). This means that the existing address format is preserved, but the transaction confirmation mechanism becomes fundamentally different. NIZK allows one party to prove knowledge of a key without revealing it, and without multiple exchanges with the verifying party.
QBIP32: A universal mechanism for different networks
In parallel, AmericanFortress described the QBIP32 scheme, which generates a signing scalar, a quantum-resistant witness, and a chain code within a single function call. The key advantage is compatibility with various elliptic curves of prime order, including secp256k1 (Bitcoin, Ethereum) and Ed25519 (Solana). The authors emphasize that the post-quantum security of the scheme is assumed and relies on the resistance of hash functions and NIZK proofs to quantum adversaries.
Practical metrics and limitations
A Rust implementation using RISC Zero demonstrates interesting characteristics: generating a signature proof takes about 12–13 seconds, while verifying it takes only 9–10 milliseconds. However, there is a significant limitation: for the scheme to work, network nodes must support verifying NIZK proofs instead of standard signatures. Neither Bitcoin, Ethereum, nor Solana currently do this.
Context: The industry prepares for the quantum era
The issue of the quantum threat is becoming increasingly relevant. According to a March report from Galaxy, about 7 million BTC (roughly $470 billion at those prices) are potentially vulnerable when considering addresses with exposed public keys. The industry is responding: Freedom Factory has already introduced the PQ1 hardware wallet for EVM-compatible networks, and the Bitcoin Security Consortium, with participation from BlackRock, Coinbase, and Fidelity, will allocate $15 million for post-quantum cryptography research. Stellar and Algorand have also published their roadmaps.
My analysis: AmericanFortress offers an elegant solution that maintains backward compatibility, but the main challenge is not technology, but coordination. Even with a working protocol, its implementation will require community consensus and client updates. For now, we see fragmented initiatives, but protecting trillions of dollars in crypto assets will require a unified standard. ZKPoSP is an important step, but widespread adoption is still far off.