The NEAR Protocol blockchain platform has successfully launched a large-scale network update version 2.13, introducing advanced protection and scaling mechanisms. The key innovation was the support of quantum-stable transaction signatures based on the ML-DSA standard, approved by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. This post-quantum cryptographic standard will provide reliable protection for digital signatures from potential attacks using quantum computers in the future. An important feature of the implementation is the ability to switch to a new standard without the need to create new accounts, as the architecture of the platform allows you to replace access keys without binding to a specific pair of cryptographic keys.

The second significant improvement was the dynamic resharding feature, which allows the blockchain to automatically increase throughput as network load increases. Previously, adding new shards required protocol updates and complex coordination between all network validators. Now the shard can split on its own when the set load threshold is reached, which takes about an epoch and a half. This approach significantly simplifies the scaling process and makes the network more adaptive to changing operating conditions.

Developers have already been able to replace account keys with quantum-resistant ones through the NEAR CLI command line interface. The new features are expected to have a positive impact on the performance of key ecosystem projects, including the NEAR Intents blockchain infrastructure and the near com user application. These solutions will be able to automatically increase their computing power as user activity increases, ensuring stable operation without the need for manual intervention or complex approval procedures.