Starknet Opens STRK Vote on Potential Ethereum L2 Exit Over Quantum Risks

Starknet has launched a seven-day, non-binding governance poll asking STRK holders whether the Ethereum layer-2 network should explore becoming an independent, post-quantum layer-1 blockchain. The vote, opened on October 15, 2026, offers three options: support further research, oppose the proposal, or remain neutral pending additional information. Voting closes on October 22, with results published afterward.

A "Yes" outcome would only signal support for additional research and would not authorize a transition. Any move to become an L1 would require further proposals and governance votes, and StarkWare, the developer behind Starknet, has not announced a timeline. The company argues that independence could allow Starknet to pursue quantum-resistant security without waiting for Ethereum's upgrade schedule, noting that Starknet currently relies on Ethereum for its bridge and data availability infrastructure—identified by StarkWare as remaining quantum-security dependencies.

StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson told Cointelegraph that "quantum-proofing crypto is urgent, so we must move at lightning speed," contrasting the proposal with what he described as slower progress at Ethereum and Bitcoin. Both Ben-Sasson and Starknet teased the initiative in separate X posts on October 8, framing it as a path to becoming "the first fully quantum-resistant network" by 2027. The vote builds on StarkWare's June unveiling of a three-phase quantum-resistance roadmap covering signature upgrades, smart-contract migration, and Ethereum-dependent infrastructure, and comes as Ethereum developers established a dedicated post-quantum team in March targeting initial protocol-level protections by 2029.