Starknet Eyes a Bold L1 Leap to Outrun Quantum Threats

Starknet's STRK token surged more than 80% over the past seven days, reaching an intraday peak of $0.126, its highest level since December 2025. The network announced on October 8 that it is actively considering a transition from an Ethereum layer-2 rollup to a standalone layer-1 blockchain.The proposal positions Starknet as a potential first mover toward full quantum resistance by 2027, an ambition that StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson says could make it the first fully quantum-resistant layer-1 blockchain by that year.

Starknet's L2 Architecture Limits Its Quantum Defenses

StarkWare Chief Executive Officer Eli Ben-Sasson raised the question in an October 8 post on X, asking whether moving to an L1 for post-quantum agility was a sound strategic decision. His argument rests on how rollups inherit their security: as a layer 2 on Ethereum, Starknet can only be as quantum-safe as the chain underneath it.Ethereum's own quantum-readiness work targets 2029, according to its current roadmap. Ben-Sasson argued the network needs to move faster and that the option to become independent should remain available. Running its own chain would let Starknet ship security upgrades on its own schedule, separate from Ethereum's governance timeline.Starknet's zero-knowledge proofs already rely on hash functions, which are considered quantum-resistant. A roadmap published on June 30 by StarkWare covers replacing the remaining elliptic-curve components that remain vulnerable to quantum computing advances.

Ethereum Researcher Flags AI-Driven Signature Risk

Ben-Sasson's proposal drew on a warning issued one day earlier by Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake. Drake urged the blockchain industry to begin planning for what he called bunker mode, a scenario in which AI-driven mathematics could break the ECDSA signature scheme that secures Bitcoin and Ethereum wallets before quantum hardware ever reaches that capability.Drake cautioned that the worst-case timeline could be measured in months rather than years, and recommended moving funds to addresses where public keys have never been exposed. Ben-Sasson echoed the concern the following day, stating that quantum computing and fast-moving artificial intelligence together justify urgent defensive planning.

Other L2s Are Shutting Down, Not Graduating

The proposal arrives during a difficult period for Ethereum rollups. Blast announced on October 2 that it would wind down operations because running its chain cost more than it earned, giving users until October 26 to withdraw to mainnet. Abstract, the chain tied to the Pudgy Penguins project, announced its own shutdown in early October.Starknet occupies different ground, with approximately $168 million in total value locked. Its version of leaving Ethereum reads more like a graduation than a closure, and the 80% rally in STRK suggests traders are pricing it that way.No formal governance proposal or vote has been scheduled. A transition of this scale would likely require a governance vote, and neither the October 8 announcement nor Ben-Sasson's thread included a decision timeline.Going independent would also make Starknet fully responsible for its own security, a substantially heavier commitment than relying on Ethereum.