Ethereum Foundation establishes quantum-safe team, Buterin warns of 20% risk before 2030

Source: Yellow Original Title: The Ethereum Foundation Forms a Quantum Security Team as Buterin Warns of a 20% Risk by 2030

Original Link: https://yellow.com/es/news/la-fundación-ethereum-forma-un-equipo-de-seguridad-cuántica-mientras-buterin-advierte-de-un-20-de-riesgo-para-2030

Post-Quantum Security Initiatives by the Ethereum Foundation

The Ethereum Foundation has established a dedicated post-quantum security team, elevating cryptographic defenses to the highest strategic priority to counter quantum computing.

The team is led by Thomas Coratger, with support from Emile, a cryptographer from leanVM.

Ethereum researcher Justin Drake announced a shift from foundational research to proactive engineering. The foundation is launching bi-weekly developer meetings focused on post-quantum transactions and multi-client test networks to build consensus mechanisms resistant to quantum computing.

This initiative includes a $2 million research reward and a community education program focused on quantum threats.

Quantum Computing Timeline

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin estimated in August 2025 that there is about a 20% chance that quantum computers will break existing cryptography before 2030.

He cited predictions from the platform Metaculus, which places the median scenario around 2040.

This assessment comes as governments and tech companies accelerate quantum computing development. Current blockchain systems rely on elliptic curve cryptography, which could theoretically be compromised by powerful quantum machines.

Ongoing Developments

The team is developing quantum-resistant cryptographic solutions, including STARK-based zero-knowledge proofs and lattice-based algorithms. These methods aim to defend against attacks from quantum computers while maintaining network performance.

Drake emphasized that blockchain must prepare in advance, even though quantum threats are still years away. Transitioning to quantum-resistant cryptography requires extensive testing, wallet upgrades, and coordinated user migration to address any real threats.

Currently, Ethereum uses ECDSA to protect transaction accounts and BLS signatures to secure validator consensus. Both schemes are vulnerable to attacks by sufficiently powerful quantum computers using algorithms like Shor’s algorithm, which can break elliptic curve encryption.

The foundation plans to integrate quantum-resistant features into the Ethereum protocol roadmap while maintaining compatibility with existing infrastructure.