Blockchain protocols preparing for future quantum computing threats should also focus on rapidly verifying asset ownership in the event funds are stolen, according to the research and development team behind NEAR Protocol.
Fears that quantum computers could eventually break existing blockchain cryptography have largely centered on wallet and private key security. However, Anton Astafiev, chief technology officer at Near One, said the bigger challenge may be determining whether a transaction is being initiated by the legitimate owner of the assets.
“We won’t be able to tell if someone running a transaction is the rightful owner of the asset or not,” Astafiev said on Wednesday, warning that blockchain networks may ultimately face difficult choices over whether to freeze compromised wallets.
According to Astafiev, protocols could be forced to either halt activity entirely or risk descending into a “wild west” scenario where stolen funds move freely across the network.
He suggested that zero-knowledge proof technology could offer a potential solution by allowing legitimate users to prove knowledge of their original seed phrase without revealing any sensitive information publicly.
“This is one example of how research across blockchain ecosystems is essential and valuable as everyone prepares for quantum unknowns.”
The renewed focus on quantum-resistant blockchain security follows research published in March by scientists at Google and the California Institute of Technology, which suggested practical quantum computers could arrive sooner than previously expected and may require far less computational power to break modern cryptography.
Google researchers warned that sufficiently advanced quantum systems could theoretically crack Bitcoin’s cryptography in under 10 minutes, potentially enabling so-called “on-spend” attacks.
Anton Astafiev said Near One is actively researching solutions to the challenge of verifying whether blockchain transactions are initiated by legitimate asset owners.
He added that developers within the NEAR Protocol ecosystem are also building a post-quantum-safe signing system designed to protect more than $137.6 million in user funds secured on the network.
One of the earliest quantum-resistance tools planned for NEAR is “FIPS-204,” a cryptographic standard approved by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The solution is expected to launch on NEAR’s testnet by the end of the second quarter.
Other blockchain ecosystems are also accelerating preparations for future quantum threats. The Ethereum Foundation has formed the Post-Quantum Ethereum team, which aims to integrate quantum-resistant protections into Ethereum at the protocol level by 2029.
Meanwhile, two validator clients tied to Solana — Anza and Firedancer — have implemented a test version of Falcon, a post-quantum digital signature system intended to strengthen the network against future attacks.
The Bitcoin community has also started exploring long-term defenses. Adam Back, chief executive of Blockstream, said in April that current quantum computers remain “basically lab experiments,” echoing earlier views that meaningful quantum threats are likely decades away.
Even so, Back argued that Bitcoin developers should begin building quantum-resistant solutions now rather than waiting for the technology to mature.
