Tezos developers have launched Quantumnet– an experimental test network to evaluate the post-quantum blockchain architecture. The network has modified user signatures, block creation rights distribution mechanism, consensus, and data availability layer (DAL). The project was developed by engineers from Nomadic Labs, Trilitech, and other ecosystem participants. The network is open for public testing. Quantumnet uses post-quantum signatures ML-DSA-44, standardized by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology under FIPS 204. Although support for accounts with the tz5 prefix has been added to the Tezos protocol, it has not yet been activated on the main network. Additionally, in the consensus, hash-based XMSS signatures with aggregation through STARK are used instead of BLS signatures for block confirmations.
In the DAL, KZG cryptographic commitments have been replaced with ZODA, which, according to developers, avoids the use of primitives vulnerable to quantum computing without significantly increasing the data volume when transferring between nodes. The first version of Quantumnet does not yet support all Tezos features; Sapling for confidential transactions and timelock puzzles are excluded from the network, as the cryptographic constructions they use are susceptible to risks from powerful quantum computers.
On September 2, Tezos co-founder Arthur Breitman noted that transitioning to post-quantum cryptography is not just about replacing user keys. Quantumnet allows testing how new cryptographic schemes work together and how their application affects performance and hardware requirements. Developers anticipate that the network will require more resources than standard Tezos configurations but will remain suitable for operation on consumer hardware. The timeline for transferring Quantumnet solutions to the main network is not yet defined; however, after further tests, individual components may be proposed as protocol updates within the Tezos governance mechanism.
Related articles
