BNB Chain Crushes Throughput with Quantum-Resistant Upgrade Test

BNB Chain has successfully tested post-quantum cryptography on its network, BSC. The test was part of an effort to swap out older cryptographic systems for quantum-resistant alternatives.

The team tested two replacements: ML-DSA-44 and pqSTARK aggregation for validator consensus votes. Cross-region tests showed a significant drop in throughput, from 4,973 transactions per second to 2,997, due to the increased size of signatures and transaction sizes.

However, the median finality latency held steady at two slots across all test scenarios. The pqSTARK proof system delivered impressive results by compressing six validator signatures totaling 14.5 KB into a single proof of about 340 bytes, reducing the load on consensus verification.

The team framed this work as a proof of concept rather than a production rollout, citing throughput constraints at the network and data layer as the central obstacle. The report also flagged P2P handshakes and KZG commitments as outside its current scope, requiring broader coordination with the Ethereum ecosystem.