Ethereum Foundation Launches Dedicated Post-Quantum Security Team

Introduction

The Ethereum Foundation has elevated post-quantum security to a central pillar of its long-term roadmap, announcing the creation of a dedicated Post Quantum (PQ) team. The initiative signals a coordinated push to anticipate the cryptographic challenges posed by quantum computing and to safeguard the network’s security model at scale. Thomas Coratger, a cryptographic engineer at the foundation, will lead the team with support from Emile, a cryptographer associated with leanVM, according to a prominent researcher. The move comes as the ecosystem accelerates timelines for rigorous quantum-safe defenses.

Key Takeaways

• The Ethereum Foundation forms a dedicated Post Quantum team led by Thomas Coratger to advance quantum-safe security.
• LeanVM, a minimalist zero-knowledge proof VM, is highlighted as a core building block for Ethereum’s post-quantum strategy.
• Near-term steps include biweekly developer sessions on post-quantum transactions, beginning next month.
• Major funding packages — a Poseidon Prize and a Proximity Prize, each worth $1 million — aim to accelerate post-quantum cryptography research and tooling.

Tickers mentioned: $BTC, $ETH, $COIN

Sentiment: Bullish

Price impact: Positive. The commitment signals deeper, long-term security work that could underpin confidence in major networks.

Trading idea (Not Financial Advice): Hold. The development represents strategic infrastructure work rather than immediate market signals.

Market context: The industry is increasingly prioritizing quantum-resistant protocols as part of broader risk management amid evolving cryptographic threats.

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The Ethereum Foundation has elevated post-quantum security to a central pillar of its long-term roadmap, announcing the formation of a dedicated Post Quantum (PQ) team. The new unit will be steered by Thomas Coratger, a cryptographic engineer within the foundation, with support from Emile, a cryptographer closely associated with leanVM, according to Justin Drake, a crypto researcher who has long followed the project. “After years of quiet R&D, EF management has officially declared PQ security a top strategic priority,” Drake said in a post on X. “It’s now 2026, timelines are accelerating. Time to go full PQ.”

Drake described leanVM, a specialized, minimalist zero-knowledge proof virtual machine, as a core building block of Ethereum’s post-quantum strategy. The architecture is viewed as instrumental in enabling scalable, privacy-preserving proofs while maintaining security guarantees in a future where quantum computers could threaten traditional cryptographic primitives. The reference to leanVM underscores the emphasis on practical, implementable solutions that can be integrated into Ethereum’s existing layers and tooling.

EF backs post-quantum push with developer sessions, funding

Drake outlined several near-term steps designed to bolster the ecosystem’s readiness. A biweekly developer session focused on post-quantum transactions is slated to begin next month, led by Ethereum researcher Antonio Sanso. The sessions aim to scrutinize user-facing protections, including protocol-level cryptographic tools, account abstraction pathways, and longer-term work on aggregating transaction signatures using leanVM. The emphasis is on translating theoretical security guarantees into operational safeguards for users and developers alike.

The Ethereum Foundation is also backing its push with new funding. Drake announced a $1 million Poseidon Prize to strengthen the Poseidon hash function, alongside another $1 million initiative known as the Proximity Prize, both aimed at advancing post-quantum cryptography. The Poseidon hash function has been a focal point in discussions about fast, secure hashing suitable for post-quantum environments, and the Proximity Prize is intended to stimulate community-wide progress by recognizing practical, deployable research and tooling.

On the engineering front, Drake noted that multi-client post-quantum consensus development networks are already live, with multiple teams participating and coordinating through weekly interoperability calls. This collaborative approach is designed to ensure that different implementations can interoperate smoothly as the ecosystem experiments with quantum-resistant consensus mechanisms and transaction validation paths. The coordinated effort also helps identify gaps in tooling, documentation, and standards that could hinder adoption if left unaddressed.

Beyond coding and testing, the foundation plans a dedicated post-quantum event in October, followed by a post-quantum day in late March ahead of EthCC. Educational efforts, including video content and enterprise-focused materials, are also underway to broaden understanding of PQ risk and mitigation strategies among developers, operators, and businesses that rely on Ethereum’s security model. The aim is to translate technical advances into practical guidance for real-world deployment and governance decisions.

The quantum-security push at the Ethereum Foundation arrives amid growing attention from the broader crypto sector. Coinbase, for example, revealed that it has established an independent advisory board to assess how advances in quantum computing could impact the cryptography securing major blockchains, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. The board will bring together experts from academia and industry in quantum computing, cryptography, and blockchain security, with the intention of publishing public research and guidance for developers, organizations, and users. Its first position paper is expected in early 2027, signaling a concerted effort to illuminate vulnerabilities and practical mitigations in a rapidly evolving threat landscape.

Taken together, these developments reflect a broader trend: major players in the crypto ecosystem are intensifying their focus on quantum resilience as part of a proactive risk-management strategy. The convergence of research, funding, and cross-industry collaboration signals that quantum-ready cryptography is transitioning from a theoretical concern to a concrete, enterprise-grade capability that could shape security standards for years to come.