qLabs Fires First Shot in Quantum Crypto Race — Can Coinbase Catch Up?
The fast progress of quantum computing is forcing the cryptocurrency {industry} to confront the issue that has lengthy been handled as theoretical.
Blockchains that safe trillions of {dollars} in worth depend on cryptographic methods reminiscent of elliptic curve signatures, that are thought-about protected right now however broadly anticipated to fail as soon as sufficiently highly effective quantum machines arrive.
While timelines stay debated, the path is not in doubt, and preparation is more and more shifting from tutorial dialogue to early deployment.
Against that backdrop, qLABS, a crypto-focused basis engaged on post-quantum cryptography infrastructure, prepares to launch its first quantum-resistant token, qONE, with a restricted presale scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. UTC.
Quantum Computers Aren’t Here Yet — So Why Is qLABS Racing to Secure Crypto Now?
qLABS describes itself as “quantum-native,” that means its methods are designed from the outset to resist assaults from future quantum computer systems moderately than retrofitted later.
The qLABS group instructed Cryptonews in an interview that the {industry} can not afford to attend till gradual, chain-level upgrades can be found.
They claimed that almost all of the present initiatives are both divided into short-term classes reminiscent of analysis tasks, preliminary upgrades of the protocol, or enhancing the wallets however none of them supply direct safety to belongings already positioned on open blockchains.
The basis’s core goal is to handle the so-called “harvest now, decrypt later” danger, in which attackers accumulate encrypted information or public keys right now with the expectation that quantum computer systems will be capable of break them in the longer term.
In blockchain methods, that risk is especially acute as a result of digital signatures underpin pockets safety and asset possession.
Instead of constructing a brand new blockchain, qLABS goals to give attention to including a quantum-resistant layer to present networks reminiscent of Ethereum, Solana, and Hyperliquid.
The group claimed it goals at defending belongings on the pockets and transaction layer initially, and customers can select to guard quantumly with out transferring cash to new networks.
Its method depends on a mix of post-quantum cryptography and zero-knowledge proofs, constructed on IronCAP, a code-based cryptographic system aligned with requirements launched by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Notably, the system introduces what qLABS calls a dual-signature mannequin.
The transactions want the usual signature recognized by the underlying blockchain, and a second quantum-resistant signature is required.
Quantum-Ready or Left Behind? qLabs Raises the Stakes for Coinbase and Big Crypto
The stress exerted by qLABS is indicative of an industry-wide change.
On January 16, 2020, Coinbase said it had established an independent advisory board targeted on quantum computing and blockchain safety comprising cryptography researchers, academia, and protocol growth.
The change indicated that the group would launch the assessments and proposals that will help builders and establishments in planning the long-term quantum dangers.
@coinbase researcher warns that about one‑third of Bitcoin may very well be structurally weak to future quantum computing assaults.#BTC #QuantumComputinghttps://t.co/v1YfCfmFQp
— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) January 6, 2026
Coinbase Ventures has additionally invested in Project Eleven, which is growing know-how to help blockchains with staged purposes to post-quantum safety.
Other networks are additionally in movement, for instance, the Ethereum Foundation not too long ago made post-quantum safety a strategic precedence, allocating budgets in the direction of its analysis efforts and prize competitions centered on hash-based crypto.
Aptos has instructed implementing a post-quantum signature scheme based on the NIST commonplace, which is much less cost-efficient, however opts in favor of early conservatism over after-the-fact cures.
Such initiatives are being applied because the estimates of cryptographically related quantum machines hold getting shorter.
Aptos introduces quantum-resistant signature proposal AIP-137 to guard blockchain safety in opposition to future quantum computing threats as {industry} prepares for cryptographic challenges.#Aptos #QuantumComputinghttps://t.co/K9F2goyI50
— Cryptonews.com (@cryptonews) December 19, 2025
Researchers have observed that in current years the variety of qubits wanted to threaten a broad vary of elliptic curve signatures of 256 bits has fallen significantly, and a few estimates are at present displaying that it might be reached in the primary or mid-2030s.
Even conservative predictions admit that migration planning should start properly in advance.
Within that context, qLABS goals to place qONE and its related Quantum-Sig pockets know-how as early infrastructure moderately than a speculative experiment.
The token is meant to operate as an entry key to quantum-secure transaction companies, with charges tied to utilization moderately than subscriptions.
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