Ethereum Researcher Targets Quantum Resistance by December 2028

Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake said developers have 24 months to complete three network upgrades and achieve Ethereum’s full post-quantum and post-AI transition by December 2028. Speaking at Devcon 8 in Mumbai, Drake described the target as the foundation’s “hope,” positioning it one year ahead of the organization’s existing quantum-resistance roadmap.

The Ethereum Foundation’s September roadmap sets December 2029 as the deadline for making the network quantum-resistant across its execution, consensus and data layers. Drake’s comments signal a more aggressive schedule but do not formally change that roadmap, which is scheduled for review in January 2027. In August, he proposed introducing production-ready leanVM technology in 2027, followed by post-quantum deployments across all three Ethereum layers in 2028.

The proposed acceleration has drawn attention from other blockchain developers. In October, Starknet’s community backed research into developing an independent post-quantum layer-1 network. StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson previously called Ethereum’s 2029 target too late and warned that quantum-readiness deadlines could slip.

If delivered, Ethereum’s 2028 schedule could set a benchmark for blockchain security as quantum computing advances. However, the timeline remains dependent on successfully implementing three major network upgrades, and Drake’s remarks have yet to become an official replacement for the foundation’s published deadline.