Naoris launches post-quantum blockchain as Bitcoin and Ethereum developers scramble to confront the threat

The long-discussed “quantum apocalypse” – or “Q day“When quantum computers can break modern cryptography, they have moved from theory to… Race against time For the blockchain industry. But now there are blockchain networks being launched that claim to be prepared for this inevitability.

On Thursday, Nauris Protocol launched its mainnet, describing the network as a blockchain built on post-quantum cryptography from the beginning, using algorithms certified by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology.

The project joins a growing list of efforts exploring how blockchain might function if quantum computers eventually defeat the cryptographic systems that most blockchains rely on today.

Most major blockchains – incl Bitcoin and Ethereum– Secure transactions using public key signatures, such as the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA). These systems are based on mathematical problems that conventional computers cannot solve practically. However, the researchers warned that a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could break that protection using Shor’s algorithm, allowing attackers to extract private keys from public keys and take control of wallets.

Nathaniel Ciryzla, chief growth officer at Naoris Protocol, said the project intentionally chose to implement the final federal standard for the technology rather than previous research versions of the algorithm.

“Most blockchain projects experimenting with post-quantum signatures treat ‘dilithium’ and ‘ML-DSA’ as interchangeable nomenclature,” Cerezla said. Decryption. “Noris treats them as a hard border.”

ML-DSA is the standard version of the CRYSTALS-Dilithium algorithm approved by NIST as part of post-quantum cryptography. program. As Cerizla explained, CRYSTALS-Dilithium and ML-DSA-87 are not two separate algorithms. ML-DSA is the NIST standard version of CRYSTALS-Dilithium, published as FIPS 204 in August 2024.

Naoris’ announcement comes as blockchain developers debate how to transition to quantum-resistant cryptography, because doing so will require a significant amount of attention. Changes for existing networks. In February, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin shown A plan to replace many of the protocol’s cryptographic components, including BLS and ECDSA signatures, with alternatives designed to resist quantum attacks.

Bitcoin developers are exploring similar ideas as contributors move forward Pep 360a proposal that aims to reduce public key exposure in transactions by introducing a new type of output called Pay-to-Merkle-Root. The design disables a technical feature called keypath spending, which exposes public keys when coins are spent, laying the groundwork for adding post-quantum signature schemes in future soft forks.

Because blockchain transaction records are public and permanent, the cryptographic signatures associated with these transactions remain visible indefinitely. If quantum computers eventually reach the desired scale, attackers could analyze past transaction data to recover private keys from exposed signatures.

Norris is trying to reduce this risk by forcing a transition away from classical signatures once computation adopts a post-quantum key, Ciryzla said.

“Once an account is linked to a PQC, the system imposes a difficult and irreversible shift,” he said. “The transaction processor examines each incoming transaction. If the sender’s address has a PQC link in the record, the transaction must have a valid ML-DSA internal signature.”

He explained that only an ECDSA transaction from a linked account is rejected due to a specific error that tells users that a PQC signature is required for the linked account.

The Naoris Network is currently working with a limited set of validation operators as the project expands to participate. Prior to the mainnet launch, Naoris said its testnet processed more than 106 million post-quantum transactions and detected more than 603 million security threats. Decryption These numbers have not been independently verified.

Since Naoris cannot retroactively secure assets already registered on a blockchain that relies on classical cryptography, Szerezla said users will need to transfer assets to the Naoris network to protect them.

“Assets transferred to Naoris become quantitatively safe, while remaining assets on classic chains remain at risk,” he said. “The earlier users migrate, the smaller the exposure period.”