The Ethereum Foundation has formed a new Post Quantum (PQ) team to advance post-quantum security, led by Thomas Coratger with Emile from LeanVM among the contributors. The initiative is described as a cryptographic cornerstone of Ethereum’s long-term plan and marks a significant shift toward execution as quantum threats grow more imminent.
The project centers on LeanVM, new developer calls, live post-quantum devnets, and $2 million in prizes. In addition, the foundation has announced a $1 million Poseidon Prize to harden the Poseidon hash function used in Ethereum applications, underscoring the emphasis on quantum-resistant primitives.
Industry context is mounting as the crypto sector faces pressure to prepare for a future where quantum computers could undermine today’s cryptography. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has warned developers not to delay preparation for the day a practical quantum computer arrives, arguing that the network should function for decades without requiring constant upgrades. Beginning in February, Antonio Sanso will lead biweekly All Core Developers breakout calls on post-quantum transactions, focusing on user-facing security issues like account abstraction and longer-term transaction signature aggregation. Drake is also a member of Coinbase’s newly formed quantum advisory board, and the broader industry effort is reflected in his messaging to “go full PQ” and to believe in post-quantum security.
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