Starknet Opens Non-Binding Vote on Becoming an Independent Post-Quantum Layer-1
Key Takeaways
- •Starknet opened a seven-day, non-binding governance vote on Thursday asking STRK holders whether to explore becoming an independent, post-quantum layer-1 blockchain.
- •The poll closes on Oct. 22 and gives holders three options: supporting further research, opposing it, or staying neutral until more information is available.
- •A 'Yes' outcome would signal support only for further research, as any transition would need additional proposals and governance votes, and no timetable has been set.
- •StarkWare says the move would remove Starknet's dependence on Ethereum's bridge and data availability, which it identifies as lingering quantum-security dependencies tied to Ethereum's upgrade schedule.
- •StarkWare has indicated a fully quantum-resistant Starknet by 2027, while Ethereum developers formed a dedicated post-quantum team in March targeting initial protocol-level protections by 2029.
Ethereum layer-2 network Starknet has opened a non-binding vote asking STRK holders whether it should explore becoming an independent, post-quantum layer-1 blockchain.
On Thursday, Starknet opened a seven-day poll that offers three options: support further research, oppose it, or remain neutral pending more information. Voting closes on Oct. 22, with results to be published afterward — figures that will show how much support the proposal draws and how many STRK holders take part.
A “Yes” vote would signal support for further research — it would not authorize a transition. Further proposals and governance votes would be required, and no timetable for becoming an L1 has been announced.
StarkWare, the developer behind Starknet, said the move could allow the network to pursue quantum-resistant security without depending on Ethereum’s upgrade schedule. Starknet currently relies on Ethereum for infrastructure, including its bridge and data availability, which StarkWare identifies as remaining quantum-security dependencies. In practice, that reliance ties part of Starknet’s quantum posture to Ethereum’s own upgrade pace — the dependency the proposal is designed to remove.
“Quantum-proofing crypto is urgent, so we must move at lightning speed,” StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson told Cointelegraph, contrasting the proposal with what he described as slower progress at Ethereum and Bitcoin.
Both Ben-Sasson, in a post on X, and the official Starknet account, in a separate post, hinted at the proposal on Oct. 8, framing it as a move to become “the first fully quantum-resistant network” by 2027.
Background
Starknet is a-knowledge (ZK) rollup built by StarkWare. It processes transactions off Ethereum’s main chain and settles them on Ethereum using STARK validity proofs, with the STRK token serving governance and fee-payment functions.
Concerns around quantum computing center on the elliptic-curve cryptography that secures Bitcoin and Ethereum key pairs, which researchers say could in principle be broken by sufficiently powerful quantum machines. Post-quantum cryptography refers to schemes designed to withstand attacks from both classical and quantum computers.
In June, StarkWare unveiled a three-phase quantum-resistance roadmap for Starknet, covering signature upgrades, smart-contract migration and Ethereum-dependent infrastructure.
In March, Ethereum developers established a dedicated post-quantum team, aiming to introduce initial protocol-level protections by 2029. StarkWare, meanwhile, has signaled a fully quantum-resistant Starknet by 2027 — earlier than Ethereum’s stated target for initial protections.
