Cryptoupdated 51m ago2 min read
Starknet Opens Seven-Day Vote On Ethereum L2 Exit Over Quantum Risks
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Starknet launches seven-day non-binding vote among STRK holders to explore independent Layer 1. Goal is reduced dependence on Ethereum's quantum-security upgrade timeline.
Starknet votes on exit
Starknet opened a seven-day non-binding vote asking STRK holders whether it should explore becoming an independent post-quantum layer-1 blockchain to reduce its dependence on Ethereum’s quantum-security upgrade timeline.
StarkWare said the move could allow Starknet to pursue quantum-resistant security without depending on Ethereum’s upgrade schedule, while Starknet currently relies on Ethereum for infrastructure including its bridge and data availability.
The vote offered three options, support further research, oppose it, or remain neutral pending more information, and the poll was set to close on Oct. 22 with results published afterwards.
StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson told Cointelegraph, “Quantum-proofing crypto is urgent, so we must move at lightning speed,” contrasting the proposal with what he described as slower progress at Ethereum and Bitcoin.
StarkWare and Starknet hinted at the proposal in separate X posts on Oct. 8, framing it as a move to become “the first fully quantum-resistant network” by 2027.
What the vote can do
The governance proposal said the vote cannot authorize any migration, and it would determine whether developers should conduct further research into the proposed change with no decision yet made to separate Starknet from Ethereum. The proposal stated that STRK would remain Starknet’s native cryptocurrency under either arrangement, and it said existing bridges connecting Ethereum and Starknet would remain available. The Snapshot poll was non-binding and was designed solely to gauge community interest, with a “Yes” result triggering a research effort and more detailed proposals.
Starknet’s core protocol already relies on hash-based STARK proofs rather than elliptic-curve cryptography, and it uses native account abstraction, according to The Crypto Times. Eli Ben-Sasson framed the issue on October 8 around both quantum computing and the accelerating pace of AI-driven mathematical breakthroughs, arguing that chains need cryptographic agility and, in some cases, the ability to move as an L1 rather than waiting on another network.
Ethereum timelines and dependencies
The proposal acknowledged that parts of Starknet remain dependent on Ethereum’s infrastructure, including data availability and its main blockchain bridge, and it said changes to the security of those components depend partly on Ethereum’s own upgrade plans. Ethereum’s cluster has targeted full Layer 1 quantum resistance by the end of 2029, while StarkWare previously said Starknet could reach full quantum resistance by 2027 if it controlled the relevant surfaces itself. CryptoSlate described Ethereum’s quantum-security roadmap as reshaping priorities across its Layer-2 ecosystem, and zkSync unveiled a real-time Ethereum prover as Starknet weighs independence to accelerate quantum protection.
zkSync’s Airbender Prime handled 99% of 7,200 consecutive Ethereum mainnet blocks in under 10 seconds each on a single NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell GPU. zkSync’s Airbender Prime handled 99% of 7,200 consecutive Ethereum mainnet blocks in under 10 seconds each on a single NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell GPU.