Vitalik Buterin warned that emerging quantum computers could compromise Ethereum’s cryptographic security and outlined a multi-stage plan to address this risk. He identified four vulnerable areas: BLS signatures for consensus, KZG commitments for data availability, ECDSA for user accounts, and zero-knowledge proof systems. Buterin proposed replacing current mechanisms with quantum-resistant alternatives, particularly hash-based signatures and STARKs, to protect the network. However, he noted such upgrades increase costs—quantum-resistant signature verification can use far more gas than today’s methods, potentially impacting user accounts and privacy applications. To mitigate this, Buterin advocated for protocol-level aggregation—using Ethereum Improvement Proposal 8141—where transaction validity proofs are combined to keep on-chain resource use efficient. Data availability presents added complexity because STARK-based verification lacks certain properties, complicating distributed sampling. The Ethereum Foundation has made post-quantum security a top priority, forming a dedicated team and releasing a multi-year upgrade roadmap, the “Strawmap,” to transition to quantum-resistant cryptography by 2029. Buterin stressed that, while feasible, these changes require significant engineering effort and careful cryptographic choices.