The nonprofit announces a dedicated team and $2 million in research prizes as quantum computing timelines accelerate.
The Ethereum Foundation has elevated post-quantum security to a top strategic priority, forming a dedicated team and committing $2 million in research prizes.
The Ethereum Foundation (EF) announced on January 24, 2026, the formation of a dedicated Post-Quantum team led by Thomas Coratger with support from leanVM cryptographer Emile. The move transforms years of quiet research into a public engineering push.
EF researcher Justin Drake stated that while work began as early as 2019, 2026 marks a turning point. The foundation is also announcing $2 million in research prizes: a $1 million Poseidon Prize to harden the Poseidon hash function and a separate $1 million Proximity Prize for post-quantum cryptography initiatives.
Multi-client post-quantum consensus development networks are already running, with multiple teams participating in weekly interoperability calls to coordinate the transition.
Quantum computers could eventually break the cryptographic algorithms that secure blockchain networks. While some experts believe practical quantum threats are 20 to 40 years away, others point to a 2028 to 2030 window.
The Ethereum network secures approximately $350 billion in market cap and tens of billions in DeFi protocols. A successful quantum attack could compromise wallets, smart contracts, and the consensus mechanism itself. By acting now, the Foundation aims to avoid a rushed transition under time pressure.
The EF will host a three-day post-quantum workshop in October and a dedicated event on March 29 in Cannes before EthCC. A full roadmap targeting zero fund loss and zero downtime will launch on pq.ethereum.org.
The Foundation is refocusing on security over speed, setting a strict 128-bit security rule for 2026 development. A six-part ZKPodcast video series on post-quantum cryptography is also in production.
This announcement follows BTQ Technologies launching a Bitcoin quantum-resistant testnet earlier this month, signaling industry-wide urgency around quantum preparedness.
This is a developing story. The Ethereum Foundation's proactive stance positions the network ahead of potential quantum threats, though implementation timelines remain uncertain.
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