Ethereum and Optimism are proactively preparing for a post-quantum future, launching long-term plans and funding to ensure the network can safely migrate its cryptography before quantum computing becomes a real threat.
Posted January 26, 2026 at 7:04 am EST.
The Ethereum Foundation is taking concrete steps to protect the network against a risk most users never think about: quantum computing.
This week, the foundation announced a dedicated post-quantum security team, calling it a top strategic priority. The concern is not immediate. Large-scale quantum computers do not exist yet.
This story is an excerpt from the Unchained Daily newsletter.
Subscribe here to get these updates in your email for free
But if they arrive before blockchains are ready, today’s cryptography could be broken, putting wallets and transactions at risk. The hard part is not flipping a switch. It is coordinating upgrades across millions of users without breaking anything.
To get ahead of that, Ethereum is moving from research into execution. The foundation is backing the effort with $2 million in research prizes, funding work on new cryptographic tools and running live test networks. The focus is simple: make sure Ethereum can transition smoothly, with no loss of funds and no downtime, if stronger security is ever needed.
Senior researcher Justin Drake described the move as a top strategic priority, signaling a shift from quiet research to active building.
The push reflects a growing industry consensus that preparation matters more than timing. Once a threat becomes urgent, it is already too late to start planning.
Optimism took a similarly long-term view.
On Sunday, Optimism announced a 10-year roadmap to phase out today’s standard wallet signatures across its Superchain (which hosts many layer 2s, including Coinbase’s Base).
By 2036, traditional wallet keys will be replaced by smart accounts that can support post-quantum security, without forcing users to change addresses or move funds. The plan relies on gradual upgrades, clear timelines, and coordinated hardforks rather than ushed fixes.
OP also said its infrastructure, including sequencers, will move away from current signatures, and that it is working closely with Ethereum on shared standards.
The message from both ecosystems is the same: quantum security is not a crisis yet, but migration takes time, and the clock only starts when builders decide to act.
