The Ethereum Foundation has established a Post-Quantum (PQ) security task force to accelerate the network's preparedness for risks from quantum computing. In a blog post on X, senior researcher Justin Drake called this a "top priority strategy."
The new team will be led by Thomas Coratger, a cryptography engineer at the Ethereum Foundation, with support from Emile – a cryptography expert associated with the foundation's leanVM project. Drake describes leanVM (a minimalist zero-knowledge proof Arm Virtual Machine optimized for quantum-resistant hash-based signatures) as a "pillar" in Ethereum's post-quantum strategy.
“After years of quiet R&D, EF management has officially declared PQ security a top strategic priority,” Drake wrote. “It’s now 2026, timelines are accelerating. It’s time to go all-in on PQ.”
The Ethereum Foundation is also investing heavily in this effort, announcing the $1 million Poseidon Prize to strengthen a hash function that plays a central Vai in Ethereum's zero-knowledge proof systems. This complements the $1 million Proximity Prize for broader post-quantum cryptography research, announced last year.
Technically, development networks (Devnet) for multi-client post-quantum consensus are already underway. Lighthouse and Grandine have deployed PQ devnets, and Prysm is expected to follow. Developer workshops on post-quantum transactions will begin next month, held every two weeks, led by researcher Antonio Sanso. Drake also mentioned additional community activities, including a three-day workshop in October and a discussion session leading up to EthCC in March.
This announcement comes as the industry increasingly focuses on "defensive" capabilities against quantum threats. On January 21, 2026, Coinbase established an independent advisory panel to assess quantum risks to blockchain networks, which includes Drake, along with cryptography expert Dan Boneh (Stanford University) and Professor Scott Aaronson (University of Texas).
This move also follows Vitalik Buterin's January 12th Chia of a "walkaway test"—a framework for assessing XEM Ethereum can still be secure if core developers leave. Buterin considers quantum resistance to be "non-negotiable," and previously estimated a 20% chance that quantum computers capable of breaking current cryptography could appear before 2030.
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