Vitalik Buterin says Ethereum (ETH) will achieve quantum resistance soon via post-quantum hash-based signatures in the Strawmap, a four-year Layer 1 (L1) upgrade plan.
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Why it matters:
- Quantum computers could break Ethereum’s current encryption; hash-based signatures would close that gap before the threat arrives.
- Buterin’s confirmation moves quantum resistance from a research topic to a scheduled Ethereum upgrade target.
- The Strawmap’s six-month fork schedule means quantum-resistant slots could ship within the plan’s first two upgrades.
The details:
- Buterin confirmed the timeline via X on February 26, 2026, citing the Ethereum Foundation’s Strawmap.
- The Strawmap was published at strawmap.org after an Ethereum Foundation workshop in January 2026.
- The name blends “strawman” and “roadmap,” meaning the plan is experimental and built to be revised.
- The four-year plan targets ~7 forks every six months; Glamsterdam and Hegotá are confirmed for 2026.
- Buterin also proposed cutting block time to 2 seconds and finality from ~16 minutes to 6–16 seconds.
The big picture:
- Bitcoin and Solana ecosystems are also running post-quantum research, making it a growing priority across blockchains.
- A fixed six-month fork schedule marks a faster, more structured upgrade cadence for Ethereum’s L1.
- The Strawmap is explicitly a draft — timelines, including quantum resistance, could shift as development progresses.
