Solana and Aptos developers started testing new “quantum-safe” security this week, aiming to protect their blockchains from future attacks by powerful quantum computers. SOL USD traded around $126 while APT price was near recent lows as traders mostly shrugged.
Long‑term security upgrades like this often move prices only once they become mainstream topics. Behind the scenes, governments and big tech already treat quantum risk as a real problem for the next decade, not sci‑fi.
What Are Quantum Attacks and Why Are Solana and Aptos Reacting Now?
Let’s start simple. Today’s blockchains rely on math puzzles that normal computers can’t easily solve. Quantum computers are like super‑charged calculators that may eventually solve some of these puzzles much faster, including the ones that protect your private keys.
If a strong quantum computer arrives and your chain isn’t ready, an attacker may grab a public key from the blockchain and reverse‑engineer the private key. That would let them sign fake transactions, drain wallets, or even attack validators. Think of it like someone finding a master key that opens not just your apartment, but the whole building.
The Solana Foundation said it worked with post‑quantum security firm Project Eleven to test new kinds of digital signatures on a Solana testnet. These “post‑quantum signatures” aim to stay secure even in a world where quantum computers exist, and old‑school cryptography fails. Developers aim to demonstrate that they can execute these safer transactions without compromising Solana’s speed or user experience.
Solana already took an early step with the Winternitz Vault, an optional wallet feature that generates new keys for every transaction to reduce exposure. That does not alter the base protocol, but it provides security-focused users with extra protection. For everyday users, it demonstrates that Solana takes long-term security as seriously as it does performance.
Aptos is moving in a similar direction. A new proposal, AIP-137, would add SLH-DSA, a hash-based, quantum-resistant signature scheme standardized by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Aptos would retain its current Ed25519 signatures as the default and offer SLH-DSA as an optional account type for users who require maximum future-proofing.
Having reviewed the technical specs for AIP-137, it’s important to understand that the security comes with a heavy ‘performance tax.’
SLH-DSA signatures are 82 times larger than the Ed25519 ones we use today. For a high-speed chain like Aptos, this means the network load could spike significantly if it becomes the default, which is why it remains an ‘optional’ account type for now.
Importantly, both Solana and Aptos utilize hash functions like SHA-256, which the new schemes already rely on. That means they do not need to invent completely new math from scratch. The trade‑off is bigger signatures and slower verification, which increases network load if everyone switches at once.
If you want to zoom out on Solana’s broader progress and challenges, check our articles on Solana-Sicherheit, Solana-Blockchain-Entwicklung, and the Solana-Netzwerk. For Aptos context, you can also see how token design affects price in our Aptos-Blockchain coverage.
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How Could Quantum-Safe Upgrades Affect Your Crypto Over Time?
Currently, most experts do not anticipate that quantum computers will break Bitcoin or major blockchain networks in the next few years. Grayscale even called quantum risk a “red herring” for 2026 prices, according to CSO Online. However, governments recognize a longer-term problem and are already pushing for change.
The UK’s cybersecurity agency (NCSC) urges organizations to adopt quantum-safe encryption by 2035, according to The Guardian. NIST has already finalized several post‑quantum standards like ML‑KEM, ML‑DSA, and SLH‑DSA, which blockchains such as Aptos now want to use. This matters for you because banks, cloud providers, and eventually wallets will shift to these new standards—and chains that adopt them early signal “we’re built to last.”
We are already seeing experiments with quantum-safe Bitcoin. BTQ and others have demoed ways to protect BTC using NIST‑approved algorithms, according to PR Newswire. Cloudflare and several big financial institutions also integrate quantum‑resistant protocols into their security stacks, as reported by Barron’s. Crypto is not ahead of the world here; it is trying not to fall behind.
For long-term investors, this becomes a key consideration. Just as you ask, “How decentralized is this chain?” and “How are fees?”, you will start asking, “What is their quantum migration plan?” Solana and Aptos now have a concrete answer: testnets, optional quantum‑safe account types, and clear paths to upgrade later.
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Should Everyday Crypto Users Worry or Change Anything Now?
Short term, you do not need to panic‑sell Bitcoin or move all your coins to “quantum” projects. Even highly skeptical cryptographers like Adam Back say the near‑term risk is tiny and large‑scale quantum machines are still decades away. That gives developers time to test, refine, and roll out upgrades in an orderly way.
However, there is a quieter risk called “store now, crack later.” An attacker can record encrypted data or public keys today, then wait until quantum computers are strong enough to try to break them. That is why security agencies already push for migration plans, even though the scary computers are not here yet.
So what do you actually do today?
- Use modern wallets from reputable teams that update regularly. Old, abandoned software will not get quantum‑safe patches.
- Limit key reuse where possible. Features like Solana’s Winternitz Vault exist for a reason—new keys per transaction reduce future attack surfaces.
- Watch what your favorite chain publishes about post‑quantum migration. If a project ignores the topic entirely, treat that as a red flag for long‑term holdings.
- Do not chase “quantum” marketing hype. Some tokens will use quantum buzzwords mainly to pump price. Stick to projects that align with NIST standards and real research.
This story is less about a price pump today and more about which chains you trust to guard your money 10–20 years from now. As more networks follow Solana and Aptos into post-quantum testing, you will have a clearer way to distinguish serious infrastructure from short-lived experiments.
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The post Solana and Aptos Crypto Race to Go Quantum Resistant: Is Your Crypto Portfolio Quantum Safe? appeared first on 99Bitcoins.
