Starknet has opened a governance vote for users staking or delegating STRK to decide whether the network should research breaking away from Ethereum and operating as a standalone post-quantum blockchain. Starknet is StarkWare’s Layer 2 network built on top of Ethereum.
The non-binding Snapshot poll opened at 09:32 UTC on Oct. 15 and closes at the same time on Oct. 22. Voters can choose between “Yes, this should be researched,” a vote against more research, or “Neutral, I need more information.” StarkWare described it as the first governance vote on the potential transition.
A deliberately narrow ballot
The proposal says the ballot is intentionally limited in scope. Supporting the research does not amount to approving a move to Layer 1. Any future decision to proceed with such a transition would go through a separate governance process.
Security is the stated rationale
In a forum post attached to the poll, Henri of the Starknet Foundation said the parts Starknet runs itself can become quantum-resistant soon, while its bridge and data availability layer still move on Ethereum’s schedule. Running as its own Layer 1 would remove that dependency.
The post also said Starknet already uses hash-based STARK proofs and native account abstraction. No timeline has been set for any switch.
Two points, the post said, would remain unchanged under any outcome. STRK would stay the network token, with no new token introduced, and bridges from Ethereum into Starknet would remain open.
What each result would mean
A Yes result would start a research phase that would lead to more detailed proposals and additional votes. A No result would mean post-quantum work continues while Starknet remains a Layer 2. A Neutral result would keep the forum thread open until the unanswered questions are addressed.
Early voting data
According to Snapshot data, by about 14:40 UTC on Oct. 15, 293 votes had been cast, and 99.9% of roughly 179.8 million in voting power supported the Yes option. The poll has no quorum requirement.
“Becoming an L1 is a big deal. So is post-quantum security. We want to hear what the community thinks,” StarkWare co-founder and CEO Eli Ben-Sasson wrote on X.
How the idea emerged
Ben-Sasson first raised the idea on Oct. 8 alongside a talk at Token2049, asking whether a Layer 1 designed for post-quantum agility was a good or bad idea.
That same day, Starknet’s official account said it was considering the move, with 2027 as its target for full quantum resistance. Two days later, StarkWare posted that Starknet becoming an independent Layer 1 is “our clearest path forward.”
The results will be visible as soon as voting closes.