QANplatform, Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible, launched the world’s first quantum-resistant blockchain test network, enabling the development of quantum-resistant smart contracts. According to an announcement shared by QANplatform, the new test network will allow developers to write smart contracts using any programming language. Speaking about the process, QANplatform co-founder and CTO Johann Polecsak indicated that this points to the first EVM-compatible test network with quantum-resistant cybersecurity.
What to Expect in the Quantum Field?
Since the release of IBM Condor, the second-largest quantum processor with 1,121 qubits in December 2023, post-quantum security has become an urgent concern. Polecsak explained that due to their inherently decentralized nature, most of the top blockchain networks like Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Solana could not adopt quantum-resistant security measures without significant negative impact:
“Blockchain networks will backfire in the post-quantum transition because it will be impossible to say whether legitimate owners transferred funds and data or hackers stole it all. In such cases, billions of dollars worth of data could instantly devalue the affected blockchain networks as it begins to be transferred on behalf of the real owners by hackers.”
However, the new QANplatform test network will allow testing of transition processes to a quantum-resistant alternative for EVM-compatible protocols without risking user funds on the main network. The announcement of the test network came about two months after the first European country adopted QANplatform’s quantum-resistant technology in March. The technology solution provides protection against quantum computing attacks aimed at government cybersecurity infrastructure.
Quantum-Resistant Technologies
Governments worldwide are already preparing for the post-quantum era, and the European Commission launched the Quantum Flagship research initiative in 2018 with a budget of at least 1 billion euros over a 10-year period. According to Polecsak from QANplatform, considering that quantum computing already poses a significant security threat to everyday internet users, these efforts are justified:
“Quantum-resistant technology is already important today due to the ‘store now, decrypt later’ cybersecurity threat, which involves attackers collecting encrypted data to decrypt later using more powerful computing methods like quantum computers.”
Major companies are also preparing for the post-quantum future. Apple, announced a new update in February aimed at making iMessages quantum-resistant, positioning Apple as a leader among quantum messaging providers.
