Quantus Mainnet Launch Aims to Shield Crypto from Quantum Threats
Quantus, a proof-of-work blockchain designed around quantum-resistant security, has launched its mainnet. This move marks a significant step forward for the project, which aims to protect against potential threats from quantum computers. The chain uses post-quantum cryptography from Block One, specifically ML-DSA, a digital signature standard finalized by NIST in 2024.
Quantus CEO Christopher Smith emphasizes that elliptic-curve cryptography used on most existing blockchains will become breakable once quantum computers reach sufficient scale. He warns that this could lead to massive migration efforts and asset relocations for users. To sidestep this issue, Quantus has built its architecture with post-quantum security from the start.
The network runs two additional layers on top of the base chain: Wormhole for private transactions and an aggregation layer for increased throughput. While ML-DSA transactions are larger than traditional Bitcoin transactions, native transaction aggregation helps mitigate this issue. The team has also brought in four blockchain security firms to review their technology.