TRON tests quantum signature, TPS or reduced by 95%

TRON Test Quantum Signature: May reduce TPS by 95%

The maximum reduction predicted in this proposal will only occur if all transactions use the ML-DSA-44 algorithm. This is a capacity model, not a prediction of actual operating results or initial deployment of the main network.

Key Points

TRON is testing quantum signature technology on the Nile Test website.
A larger signature size will reduce the available chunk space.
A model using the Falcon algorithm fully shows a throughput of approximately 400 transactions per second (TPS).
A model using exclusively ML-DSA shows a throughput of approximately 173 transactions per second (TPS).
Mainnet activation still requires governance approval.

TRON is testing post-quantum signature technology that promises to protect transactions from future quantum computing attacks. However, this security gain comes with a measurable tradeoff: a larger amount of signature data results in less room left for transactions in each block.

proposal is already in effect on the testnet, but has not yet been enabled on the mainnet.

TRON's TIP-899 proposal introduces two post-quantum signature options: Falcon-512 and ML-DSA-44. The relevant code has been included in the release of the Nile testnet, where developers can test the operation of the new signature method.

This feature is disabled by default. It will not change the trading rules of the TRON main network unless activated by network governance after testing and security work within the network plan is completed.

Why signature size reduces transaction capacity

Every blockchain transaction requires a digital signature to prove that the account holder has approved the transaction. TRON currently uses ECDSA signatures. Falcon-512 and ML-DSA-44 are designed to withstand attacks from sufficiently advanced quantum computers, but their additional transaction proof is much larger.

Blocks have a fixed data budget. A larger signature means less budget is left for other transactions. So, although post-quantum signatures are verified faster than ECDSA in TRON's own benchmark, the proposal still simulates a lower trading cap. In other words, the problem is not that nodes are too slow to check for new signatures, but that each signed transaction will consume more block bandwidth.

TRON's estimates demonstrate the size of this trade-off.

TIP-899 simulates a capacity of approximately 3,809 simple transactions per second based on an ECDSA baseline. As more transactions adopt post-quantum signatures, their estimates decline.

Simulated trading capacity estimation

• ECDSA baseline model: Approximately 3,809 transactions per second.
• 10% Falcon-512 trading model: Approximately 2,055 TPSs per second, approximately 46% lower than the ECDSA baseline.
• 10% ML-DSA-44 trading model: approximately 1,228 TPSs per second, approximately 68% lower than the ECDSA baseline.
• 100% Falcon-512 trading model: About 400 TPSs per second, a reduction of about 90%.
• 100% ML-DSA-44 trading model: About 173 TPSs per second, a reduction of about 95%.

These are estimates of the proposal for simple transactions under the assumption of fixed block capacity. They do not represent the observed throughput of the TRON main network.

Hybrid networks will perform differently than the "95% reduction" scenario

Full adoption is a stress test. TRON can allow existing ECDSA accounts to run in parallel with users who choose quantum signatures, limiting the immediate impact on block capacity.

10% of models show the importance of this distinction. If one in ten transactions on the network use Falcon-512, its modeled throughput is still above 2,000 transactions per second. Although this is a significant decrease from the ECDSA baseline, it is far less severe than the 400 TPS estimated by widespread use of Falcon-512.

Of the two proposed systems, Falcon-512 produces a less restrictive capacity model, while ML-DSA-44 results in a greater reduction, so the choice of signature scheme is critical for any future migration path.

This issue is significant for high-transaction-volume transmission networks

TRON is used for frequent fund transfers, including stablecoin transactions. If signed transactions require more block space, the network will either accommodate fewer transfers in each block or need to change its capacity rules.

As stated in our previous analysis of TRON's revenue model, transaction volume has always been at the core of network activity and fee generation. This makes block efficiency more important than theoretical benchmarks: it directly affects the network's ability to process users 'existing transfers.

Things that must be completed before making decisions on the main network

TIP-899 has not yet been approved for mainnet activation. The proposal requires governance approvals, external security audits and expanded coverage of the vulnerability bounty program before deployment.

Review cannot be limited to wallet signatures. The proposal extends to block production and communication between nodes, so audits need to test how these systems interact before TRON can introduce this functionality to its real-time network.

The test for TRON will be whether security can be scaled.

The proposal provides TRON with a path to quantum signature resistance, but its own estimates suggest that signature size cannot be regarded as a secondary technical detail. The practical test will be whether the hybrid signature network can retain enough capacity to maintain ordinary transfers before governance agencies consider broader migration.

This article is for reference only and does not constitute financial, investment or technical advice. The proposal still requires testing, audit and governance approval.