Starknet community overwhelmingly backs research into becoming an independent post-quantum Layer 1

StarkWare expects to have a whitepaper ready for public review in November, following the week-long community poll.

By James Hunt • Edited by Danny Park
Ecosystems•October 22, 2026, 5:32AM EDT
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Starknet community overwhelmingly backs research into becoming an independent post-quantum Layer 1

Quick Take

  • More than 93% of the voting power backed research into Starknet becoming an independent Layer 1 in an initial governance poll.
  • StarkWare expects to release a draft whitepaper next month, followed by additional governance votes on the potential transition.

Starknet StarkNet (STRK) holders have overwhelmingly backed a proposal to research transitioning from an Ethereum Layer 2 network into an independent, post-quantum Layer 1, according to an initial seven-day Snapshot poll which closed on Thursday morning.

More than 93.5% of the voting power supported the proposal, with over 2,800 wallets participating, according to StarkWare. The development company behind Starknet did not vote in the poll, leaving the decision to the community. Following the results, StarkWare and the Starknet Foundation will further research the potential transition. Still, STRK holders would have to vote again on any future proposal to actually move the network.

"We're beginning work on a whitepaper even before we start the weekend, and hope to release a draft for public scrutiny in November," StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson told The Block. "Starknet's community has chosen to lead on the biggest security challenge crypto has ever faced. AI agents are accelerating the quantum threat in ways many don't realise. The race is on."

Starknet is built on hash-based cryptography, and its accounts can adopt post-quantum signatures without changes to the protocol. Still, it inherits its security from Ethereum, so it is only as quantum-safe as the underlying blockchain, the team explained.

"Ethereum's target of 2029 to become quantum-safe is too late, and deadlines slip. Ask anyone who waited for the Merge," Ben-Sasson added. He has set a 2027 target for Starknet to become quantum-safe, although no date has been agreed for a potential transition to Layer 1.

Quantum security and Ethereum dependencies

Ben-Sasson first floated the Layer 1 idea on Oct. 8, and the seven-day community poll opened on Oct. 15. The issue centers on Starknet's continued use of Ethereum for its bridge and data availability, as those parts cannot become quantum-safe independently of Ethereum, according to the proposal. StarkWare previously set out a three-phase post-quantum roadmap in June.

Regardless of the path chosen by the Starknet community, STRK will remain its native token, no new token will be introduced, and Ethereum bridges to Starknet will remain open, according to the Starknet Foundation.

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