Ethereum researcher Justin Drake hopes to finish post-quantum shift by December 2028
In brief
- Justin Drake shared a December 2028 target hope at Devcon 8 in Mumbai on November 3, 2026.
- Drake called the date an aspiration, not a promise; the official roadmap still targets December 2029.
- Developers would need three more network upgrades within 24 months, Crypto Briefing reported.
- Hash-based signatures are the research focus, with leanSPHINCS and leanXMSS named as candidates.
A hope, not a deadline
Drake's date sits one year ahead of the foundation's earlier quantum-resistance target of December 2029. It doesn't replace that plan. The roadmap the Ethereum Foundation published in September 2025 still targets December 2029, and Crypto Briefing reported that the 2028 figure is a goal rather than a hard deadline.
The date is Drake's, not the foundation's.
“Our hope is that by December 2028 we’ll be able to wrap up the full post-quantum and post-AI transition,” Drake said.
According to Crypto Briefing, hitting it would mean developers ship three more network upgrades within 24 months, following a milestone expected in 2027.
What's exposed today
Ethereum relies on two elliptic-curve signature schemes. ECDSA secures ordinary user accounts, while BLS signatures are used by validators in proof-of-stake consensus. Crypto Briefing reported that approximately 72% of the ETH supply sits in accounts whose public keys are already exposed (the outlet didn't name a data source for the figure), a share that may be vulnerable to a future quantum attack.
Quantum hardware isn't the only concern. In October 2026, Drake warned that advances in artificial intelligence could compromise current signature schemes before quantum machines are ready to do so, per Crypto Briefing's report.
Hash-based signatures and the migration question
The research focuses on hash-based signature schemes, with leanSPHINCS and leanXMSS named as candidates. These draw their security from hash functions instead of elliptic curves, and they're generally viewed as far more resistant to quantum attacks. The plan also covers new data availability designs built to hold up against quantum threats. Crypto Briefing reported that a dedicated Post-Quantum Security team was formed in January 2026 to lead the upgrade work.
The outlet's own assessment is that any migration will likely require users, exchanges and custodians to move funds to new quantum-resistant setups at some point. It also flagged timing risk: if the 2027 milestone slips, Drake's 2028 hope could slide back toward the 2029 roadmap date, or later.
Frequently asked questions
Is December 2028 Ethereum's official post-quantum deadline?
No. Justin Drake presented December 2028 at Devcon 8 as an aspiration rather than a promise. The Ethereum Foundation's roadmap, published in September 2025, still sets December 2029 as the target for quantum resistance.
Why would quantum computers threaten Ethereum?
Ethereum relies on elliptic-curve signatures: ECDSA for user accounts and BLS for validators. Crypto Briefing reported that roughly 72% of the ETH supply sits in accounts with already-exposed public keys, a share that may be vulnerable to a future quantum attack.
What signature schemes is Ethereum researching to replace ECDSA and BLS?
The research focuses on hash-based signature schemes, with leanSPHINCS and leanXMSS named as candidates. They draw security from hash functions instead of elliptic curves and are generally viewed as far more resistant to quantum attacks.
Will ETH holders need to move their funds?
Crypto Briefing assessed that any migration would likely require users, exchanges and custodians to move funds to new quantum-resistant setups at some point. No specific timeline for that step was given.
