Quantum‑Ready Blockchains: New Network Claims Safety from Future Computers

Naoris Protocol has just launched its main network, marking the first blockchain built from the ground up with post‑quantum cryptography that meets U.S. standards. The launch follows mounting concerns that powerful quantum machines could break the math underpinning today’s most common digital signatures, such as ECDSA used by Bitcoin and Ethereum. A quantum computer running Shor’s algorithm could extract private keys from public ones, enabling malicious actors to hijack wallets.

The Standard Behind the Security

Naoris chose the finalized NIST standard, ML‑DSA (the published form of CRYSTALS‑Dilithium), rather than early experimental versions. The team stresses that treating Dilithium and ML‑DSA as interchangeable is a mistake; ML‑DSA is the official name of the approved algorithm. By sticking to this single standard, Naoris aims to eliminate confusion and simplify security audits.

Industry Response

Other major chains are also planning upgrades:

• Ethereum: Co‑founder Vitalik Buterin has outlined a roadmap to replace vulnerable signatures with quantum‑resistant ones.
• Bitcoin: Developers are pushing BIP 360, which would limit the exposure of public keys in transactions and lay groundwork for future quantum‑safe signatures.

Because every blockchain transaction is permanently recorded, public keys and signatures remain visible forever. If quantum computers become powerful enough, attackers could scan old blocks to recover private keys from exposed signatures. Naoris addresses this by forcing a hard switch: once an account adopts a post‑quantum key, the network rejects any transaction that uses only classical signatures. The system checks each incoming transaction against a registry of post‑quantum accounts and demands a valid ML‑DSA signature if the account is bound.

Testnet Success

Before launching its main network, Naoris ran a testnet that handled over 106 million post‑quantum transactions and flagged more than 603 million potential security issues. The project currently has a limited number of validators but plans to expand. Because it cannot retroactively protect assets already on other chains, Naoris encourages users to move funds onto its network. Moving early reduces the window of vulnerability for those who remain on classical blockchains.