Ethereum Elevates Post-Quantum Security to Roadmap Priority With Dedicated EF Team

Highlights

• Ethereum Foundation moves quantum readiness from research into live network engineering.
• Post-Quantum security has become a priority as Ethereum starts testing upgrades across clients.
• Ethereum has backed future cryptography with new funding prizes and developer events.

The Ethereum Foundation has formed a dedicated team to work on long-term quantum readiness. The foundation confirmed the move after years of internal cryptography research. Ethereum researcher Justin Drake said the work has shifted into active engineering. He said timelines now require public development rather than background research.

BREAKING: The Ethereum Foundation has officially declared Post Quantum (PQ) security a top strategic priority.

A new dedicated team has been formed to protect Ethereum against future quantum computer threats. pic.twitter.com/hAw4NPYfqD

— SwanDesk (@SwanDesk) January 24, 2026

Thomas Coratger will lead the new team. Emile will support the effort with cryptography expertise. Drake described Emile as a key contributor to leanVM development. He said the team structure reflects a move toward coordinated execution.

According to the foundation officials, quantum risk represents a transition challenge. They indicated that the primary issue is the safe upgrade of wallets and protocols. Network expansions should not interfere with normal operation. The team will work on protocol cryptography and account design jointly.

The concept of quantum risk has been argued over among Ethereum developers over the years. Nevertheless, most work was kept internal in the foundation previously. The network, Drake said, now requires common tooling and open testing. He explained that early preparation minimizes future coordination risk.

In large networks, timing challenges occur when cryptographic formats are altered. Wallet providers and client teams should upgrade in tandem. The foundation claimed that early engineering reduces the risk of disjointed upgrades. Officials emphasized that planning is more important than responding to breakthroughs.

Post-Quantum Security Efforts Center on Developer Sessions and Live Test Networks

Post-Quantum Security is shaping several active development tracks inside Ethereum. Drake identified leanVM as a core technical component. leanVM is a minimal zero-knowledge virtual machine. It supports cryptographic computation with lower complexity. Developers plan to use leanVM for future signature aggregation work. Drake said aggregation matters for post-quantum transaction efficiency. He added that early testing helps validate design assumptions.

The foundation will begin biweekly developer sessions next month. Ethereum researcher Antonio Sanso will lead the sessions. The meetings will focus on post-quantum transaction formats. Some of the topics during the meetings will involve protocol-level cryptographic tools. Developers will look into account abstraction pathways. Future research will investigate aggregated transaction signatures with leanVM.

[ITA] Ok, parliamo di post quantum senza fuffa. ⚛️

PQ significa prepararsi al giorno in cui computer quantistici rendono attaccabili alcune delle primitive che oggi diamo per scontate, soprattutto firme tipo ECDSA e EdDSA. Non è “domani mattina”, ma è il classico rischio high… https://t.co/w1pUSQccsQ pic.twitter.com/At1j6XaWly

— asanso.eth (@asanso) January 24, 2026

The sessions will be used to unearth implementation issues early. Engineering work is in progress. Several groups are operating post-quantum consensus development networks. The teams synchronize the status of work with weekly interoperability calls.

Drake explained that the networks enable teams to explore compatibility among implementations. He explained that early testing exposes risks of upgrades. The developers communicate findings at coordination calls. The foundation anticipates the process to lower friction in the future.

Ethereum Foundation Expands Funding Programs and Research

The Ethereum Foundation has paired development work with new funding initiatives. It announced a $1 million Poseidon Prize. The prize targets improvements to the Poseidon hash function. The foundation also launched a $1 million Proximity Prize. The program will support broader post-quantum cryptography research.

Officials said funding helps attract specialized cryptography talent. They said open research improves security review. The prizes aim to strengthen tools before production use. Educational efforts are also underway. The foundation is planning video content for developers and enterprises. The educational materials will focus on wallets and protocol changes. Officials said education will help prepare organizations ahead of upgrades.

The announcement comes as quantum risk gains wider attention. Coinbase recently formed an independent quantum advisory board. The board includes experts from academia and industry. It will study cryptographic risks across major blockchains. Coinbase expects to publish public research starting in early 2027.