Vitalik Buterin has laid out a clear battle plan – Ethereum will undergo a quantum security overhaul over the next four years. The roadmap, published on July 5, 2026, pivots away from the current verification model built on ECDSA and BLS signatures, embracing native STARK verification and hash-based quantum-resistant signatures.
Verification Architecture Shifts from Re-execution to STARK
Today's Ethereum re-executes entire transaction details for validation, consuming significant computation. The new design employs native STARK zero-knowledge proofs, allowing validators to check a compact proof instead. According to roadmap data, some applications could see verification costs drop to less than one-tenth of current levels. This not only reduces node resource overhead but also clears the path for layer-2 protocols to offload verification burdens.
STARK (Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge) requires no trusted setup and is inherently quantum-resistant. Multiple metrics have been validated in test environments, with early auxiliary verification layers expected on mainnet as early as 2027.
Full Replacement of Signature Schemes with Hash-Based Quantum-Resistant Variants
Existing ECDSA (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm) and BLS (Boneh–Lynn–Shacham) signatures are vulnerable to quantum computers. The roadmap mandates a gradual shift to hash-based schemes, such as leanXMSS. The Ethereum Foundation established a dedicated post-quantum security research team in January 2026, focusing on signature compression and batch verification. EIP-8141 introduces local account abstraction, enabling users to adopt quantum-resistant signatures without a full network upgrade.
Notably, these signature standards align with the post-quantum cryptography standards published by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology in 2024. Cross-phase testing has already covered more than ten client teams.
Storage Target: 100TB by 2030
Beyond verification and signature layers, the roadmap sets an ambitious storage target: Ethereum mainnet state data capacity aims for 100TB by 2030. The current state is roughly 2TB – a 50x increase. Data availability infrastructure is being optimized, including sharded data subnets, KZG commitments, and PeerDAS. Greater storage capacity supports DeFi protocols, tokenized assets, and enterprise-grade applications directly on-chain, reducing reliance on L2 workarounds.
Interoperability tests run weekly across more than ten client teams, ensuring uniform security standards across implementations. The Ethereum Foundation has also launched the leanVM project – a zero-knowledge virtual machine focused on signature compression – aimed at further reducing on-chain overhead of quantum-safe signatures.
The migration unfolds in multiple phases: testnet trials, optional deployment, mandatory upgrade, and is expected to span four years. Buterin stressed that migrating the cryptographic infrastructure of a globally used blockchain requires long-term, gradual execution – no shortcuts.