Ethereum Abandons Poseidon Hash Function Amidst SNARKs Breakthrough

The Ethereum Foundation has made a significant shift in its strategy to address the quantum threat. The foundation is abandoning the Poseidon hash function, which was once considered a key component of its post-quantum architecture plan.

This decision comes as researchers have achieved major breakthroughs in compact proof technologies, specifically SNARKs. These advancements have led to significant improvements in proof generation speeds, reaching 2.5 times faster than previous indicators.

Justin Drake, a renowned researcher and key figure at the Ethereum Foundation, emphasized that the foundation is opting for proven historical standards like SHA and BLAKE over experimental primitives. This choice prioritizes security and software maturity while maintaining operational efficiency.