Naoris Protocol has launched its mainnet, introducing a layer 1 blockchain designed to use post-quantum cryptography for transaction validation and network security. The network is live with limited invitation-only participation, allowing early adopters to run validator nodes and process transactions.
According to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph, it integrates cryptographic standards finalized by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to address risks in existing blockchains, where current encryption methods can become vulnerable over time.
Before mainnet, the protocol’s test network processed more than 100 million transactions and identified hundreds of millions of potential threats, with activity spanning millions of wallets and nodes, according to the project.
The system uses a consensus model called distributed proof of security (dPoSec) to verify transactions between nodes, while the NAORIS token is intended to support network operations as the economic model evolves.
The rollout will begin with a limited group of validators and partners, and broader access is expected to be expanded in phases.
The project consists of consultants with backgrounds in cybersecurity, government and enterprise technology, and is backed by investors including Draper Associates.
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New research suggests that quantum computing may arrive sooner than expected
The launch comes as revised estimates for quantum computing, which uses qubits and quantum states to process information differently than classical computers, boost efforts to move away from current cryptographic standards.
New research from Google published Monday suggests that quantum computers may need far fewer resources than previously thought to break blockchain encryption. The study found that fewer than 500,000 physical qubits can crack systems securing Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), an approximately 20-fold reduction from previous estimates.
The findings point to a shorter timeline for quantum risks, with Justin Drake, a researcher at the Ethereum Foundation, estimating at least a 10% chance that a quantum computer could recover a private key by 2032.
Researchers at the California Institute of Technology working with Oratomic came to similar conclusions, recently finding that improvements in error correction (which reduce the number of qubits needed to stabilize computations) could lower requirements for practical systems to 10,000 to 20,000 qubits, down from previous assumptions of millions.
Based on these reductions, the researchers said a viable quantum computer could emerge by around 2030.
Blockchain developers are starting to respond. In January, developers in the Solana ecosystem introduced a quantum-resistant vault that uses hash-based signatures to generate new keys for each transaction, reducing the exposure of public keys.
On March 24, developers at the Ethereum Foundation launched a “Post-Quantum Ethereum” resource hub that outlined plans to upgrade the network’s cryptography, targeting protocol-level changes by 2029, while also considering the multi-year complexity of such a transition.
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