For many years, the term 'quantum threat' has echoed on the fringes of the tech world like a cry of 'the wolf is coming,' sometimes stirring a ripple and at other times falling silent.
Just two days later, on February 6, a quantum computing company named 01 Quantum will launch the world's first blockchain-oriented quantum-resistant migration toolkit on the emerging high-performance public chain Hyperliquid.
All of our cryptographic security today, whether it is Bitcoin, Ethereum, or your bank password, largely relies on a 'mathematical problem.' For example, it is easy to multiply two enormous prime numbers; but conversely, given a huge product, it is as difficult as climbing to the sky to decompose it back into those two prime numbers. This is the cornerstone of current mainstream cryptographic algorithms (such as RSA and ECDSA). Your private key is hidden in this mathematical maze, safe and sound.
However, the emergence of quantum computers completely changes the game. They are not just a bit faster than current computers, but a crushing advancement in computational dimensions. Quantum algorithms like Shor's solve the problem of 'prime factorization' as easily as university students do elementary arithmetic. Once a quantum computer with sufficient computing power is developed—when 'Q-Day' arrives—our current public key encryption systems will collapse in an instant.
So, how far away is 'Q-Day' from us?
No one can provide an exact date, but the consensus is that it's just a matter of time. Some relatively optimistic predictions point to around 2030 when quantum computers capable of breaking RSA-2048 encryption may appear. Even more frightening is an attack model known as 'Harvest Now, Decrypt Later'.
In this heavy context, the collaboration between 01 Quantum and Hyperliquid becomes particularly noteworthy.
Hyperliquid is a decentralized trading platform known for its high performance and low latency; it itself is a customized Layer 1 blockchain that pursues an ultimate trading experience.
So, what exactly is the 'toolkit' that 01 Quantum is about to launch? It is not just simple software, but a complete 'quantum-resistant ecosystem'.
Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC): This is a completely new set of mathematical problems designed to resist attacks from quantum computers. Algorithms such as CRYSTALS-Kyber and CRYSTALS-Dilithium, which are based on lattice cryptography, have been selected as the next generation of encryption standards by authoritative institutions like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The core technology of 01 Quantum, IronCAP™, is built on these NIST-approved algorithms.
Quantum Cryptography Wrapping Technology (QCW): It cleverly combines Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP) and Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) technology, providing a layer of quantum security for existing blockchain transactions and assets without sacrificing too much performance and interoperability.
In simple terms, users will be able to use this ecosystem to utilize quantum-resistant smart contract wallets (Quantum-Sig Wallet), issue and trade quantum-resistant tokens (such as qONE and quantum-wrapped $HYPE), and developers can also use the SDK to build their own quantum secure applications.
You might wonder, since the quantum threat is so severe, why do giants like Ethereum and Bitcoin seem so 'calm'?
The answer is: It's hard for a large ship to turn around.
The difficulty of consensus: Any changes to core protocols require broad consensus from the community, which is a long and contentious process in a decentralized world.
The risks of migration: How to seamlessly and securely transition hundreds of millions of existing accounts to a new encryption system? Any mistakes could lead to network splits (hard forks) or large-scale asset theft, with unimaginable consequences.
Concerns about performance: Many post-quantum algorithms have signature sizes and verification times that are larger than existing algorithms, which could impose enormous pressure on the performance and storage of blockchain.
Because of this, although mainstream public chains like Ethereum are actively researching (the Ethereum Foundation has a dedicated team exploring PQC solutions), there is still a long way to go before actual deployment.
