LayerZero and Coinbase join forces to push cryptocurrencies into the quantum-resistant era

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LayerZero launches anti-quantum cryptography components, and Coinbase teamed up with Stanford University to convene Bitcoin developers to discuss defense strategies.

To enhance the blockchain's ability to withstand future quantum computer attacks, LayerZero has launched a new Post-quantum cryptography building module; At the same time, Coinbase is convening Bitcoin developers and cryptographers at Stanford University to discuss. Both initiatives are designed to address a core concern: The cryptographic algorithms that currently protect almost all major blockchains may not survive sufficiently powerful quantum machines.

What is the purpose of LayerZero's Akita?

Currently, Bitcoin and Ethereum use elliptic curve cryptography to protect digital signatures. However, the problem is that theoretically powerful quantum computers can derive private keys from public keys, resulting in the theft of funds. This threat has been made more urgent by a white paper released in March 2026. In the white paper, Google Quantum AI researchers Ryan Babbush and Hartmut Neven point out that cracking 256-bit elliptic curve cryptography may require only about 90 million Toffoli gates of less than 1,200 logic qubits-which is far below the computing resources previously believed to be needed.

Although the threat is not imminent (because Google's current "Willow" quantum chip only has 105 physical qubits), its importance cannot be ignored. Google has decided to complete the migration to backward quantum cryptography by 2029 and has designated Coinbase, the Stanford Blockchain Institute and the Ethereum Foundation as partners.

LayerZero has launched a tool called Akita, calling it the first tool for production environments to provide anti-quantum security for zero-knowledge proof systems. The zero-knowledge proof system is the part of the ZK system that is responsible for the commitment calculation process and proving its correct execution. Akita is based on lattice cryptography, a branch of mathematics that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has standardized for post-quantum encryption and signatures.

Compared with other post-quantum systems, Akita's advantages include: reducing the proof size from more than 200 kilobytes to between 65 and 80 kilobytes; its proof speed is two to three times faster than the Jolt system; and memory usage is roughly halved. Akita will be first used in Jolt, a zero-knowledge virtual machine developed by LayerZero in partnership with a16z crypto. Jolt is the core technology supporting the LayerZero Zero blockchain.

What measures has Coinbase taken to ensure blockchain security?

Coinbase also partnered with Stanford University cryptographer Dan Boneh and Localhost Research to hold the "Post-Quantum Bitcoin Symposium" at Stanford University. The closed-door meeting brought together Bitcoin developers, institutional custodians and hardware wallet experts to compare different technology paths.

Participants examined multiple possible signature schemes, but each scheme had trade-offs in terms of security, transaction size, hardware performance and key management, resulting in the failure of parties to reach agreement on a single best scheme. Coinbase said it was important to have a solid and well-tested plan rather than overly worrying about the specific year when attacks occurred.

The company also pointed out that any migration is likely to take place in stages, which is consistent with the message conveyed by its post-quantum version of its Key Management Service PQ-CoreKMS, which was launched in July this year. Coinbase said its current system already protects approximately 99.9% of its assets for customers.

At the same time, Ethereum's "Streamlining Ethereum" roadmap sets the target time for full implementation of post-quantum protection as 2029. Vitalik Buterin's roadmap released in February 2026 identifies areas of vulnerability, including BLS signatures at the consensus level, KZG data availability commitments, ECDSA signatures at the account level, and zero-knowledge proof systems.

On the other hand, NIST expects to abandon ECDSA by 2030 and ban its use in 2035.