- Solana Labs co-founder warned that Ethereum Layer 2s are not quantum safe and told users to abandon all hope.
- Most Ethereum L2s rely on ECDSA signatures vulnerable to quantum computers running Shor’s algorithm.
- Solana leads with Falcon-512 implementation as the crypto industry shifts toward quantum resistance.
On May 2, 2026, Solana Labs co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko warned that Ethereum (ETH) Layer 2 solutions (L2s) are not quantum safe, urging users to “abandon all hope” in response to a developer update showcasing Solana’s Falcon-512 verification suite and its production hardening. The remarks highlight Solana’s progress in post-quantum cryptography, while Ethereum L2s remain vulnerable.
Solana Founder Says Ethereum L2s Are Not Quantum Safe
Solana Labs co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko, known as @toly on X, has publicly stated that Ethereum L2s are not quantum safe, urging users to “abandon all hope.” This comment quoted an earlier post celebrating Solana’s advancements, which included an image of GitHub’s work on Falcon-512 post-quantum signature verification and suggesting the network is about to “quantummogg” competitors.
Why Ethereum L2s Remain Exposed to Quantum Threats
Ethereum L2s remain exposed because they still rely on the same quantum-vulnerable cryptographic primitives as Ethereum L1. Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) signatures (secp256k1) are used by nearly all user wallets on L2s (EOAs), and public keys are revealed on-chain once a transaction is broadcast.
This creates a potential “harvest now, decrypt later” risk, where a future quantum computer running Shor’s algorithm could derive private keys and enable fund theft.
In addition, many zkEVM rollups (such as Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, and zkSync) use pairing-based zero-knowledge proofs like Groth16 or Plonk, which depend on elliptic-curve pairings. In theory, sufficiently powerful quantum computers could undermine these assumptions and potentially enable proof forgery, leading to unauthorized withdrawals or token minting.
What’s Next for Quantum Security in Blockchain Networks?
Notably, Solana leads post-quantum blockchain development with Falcon-512 already deployed in Anza and Firedancer clients, and a SIMD-0416 upgrade expected to enable native quantum-safe verification in wallets and smart contracts. The rollout is expected to be phased, with new accounts adopting Falcon first and existing Ed25519 wallets migrating later without an immediate hard fork, while broader research continues without urgent mainnet disruption.
Meanwhile, ETH is progressing toward quantum readiness by 2029 through Glamsterdam and Hegotá, focusing on early post-quantum cryptography while coordinating large-scale upgrades across both L1 and L2 ecosystems.
Other major cryptocurrencies show mixed progress, with Algorand advancing a Falcon migration roadmap, Cardano developing peer-reviewed post-quantum protocols, and Bitcoin still in early-stage research with no formal implementation roadmap.
At the same time, global regulation is accelerating quantum security adoption, with G7, EU, and U.S. frameworks requiring planning by 2026, infrastructure migration by 2030–2032, and full transition by 2035, while Q-Day is still projected around 2029 for cryptographically relevant quantum computing.
Related: Ethereum Foundation Launches PQ Hub and Quantum Security Plan
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