Protecting Blockchain Networks from Quantum Threats
A Framework for Quantum Resistance
Source: LACChain
We are very glad to communicate that our paper “Quantum Resistance in Blockchain Networks” has been published by Scientific Reports journal from Springer-Nature and is publicly available online. This represents a very rewarding recognition to the work that we began in 2020 in collaboration with Quantinuum and Tecnologico de Monterrey seeking to develop a framework that allows to help protect blockchain networks from attacks by large and robust quantum computers.
As the paper claims “the advent of quantum computing threatens blockchain protocols and networks because they utilize non-quantum resistant cryptographic algorithms. When quantum computers become robust enough to run Shor’s algorithm on a large scale, the most used asymmetric algorithms, utilized for digital signatures and message encryption, such as RSA, (EC)DSA, and (EC)DH, will be no longer secure. Quantum computers will be able to break them within a short period of time”.
Our work is pioneer in proposing a five-step end-to-end framework applicable to most blockchain networks that does not require critical modifications of the baseline protocols to add a post-quantum cryptographic layer that ensures resistance to attacks by quantum computers. The joint team has also developed a scalable implementation for Ethereum-based networks which has been deployed in LACChain, that uses Hyperledger Besu as the blockchain protocol.
Marcos Allende Lopez, CTO of LACChain and leader of this work claimed that “today the blockchain community is focused on urgent needs such as scalability and interoperability. However, considering that there are trillions of dollars in value stored in blockchain networks and that according to Boston Consulting Group tokenization is expecting to become a $16 trillion market in 2030, it is irresponsible to not have a plan to protect decentralized ledgers from attacks by quantum computers that will be able to discover private keys and steal assets. Despite it is uncertain when large and robust quantum computers will be ready to accomplish that, it is very plausible that these machines are used silently at the beginning for hacking strategically without being spotted.”
Our open-source development presents three alternatives for the blockchain verification of transactions signed with the Falcon-512 NIST-compliant post-quantum signatures: (i) implementing the verification code in Solidity which constitutes – to our knowledge – the first smart contract capable of verifying post-quantum signatures, (ii) implementing solidity instruction in the Solc compiler and corresponding EVM opcode, and (iii) refactoring the EVM opcode Java from the EVM virtual machine into a pre-compiled contract.
The team is now working on an EIP to take this discussion to a broader forum within the Ethereum and Hyperledger communities. LACChain is looking for entities and individuals that want to join us in this mission.
Professor Salvador E. Venegas-Andraca, of Tecnologico de Monterrey, commented: “Quantum technology is a give-and-take discipline: on the one hand, quantum computers together with Shor's algorithm will eventually become a vulnerability to public key cryptography protocols and other technologies used in digital data protection. On the other hand, we can use quantum technology to increase the security of current and future data. The latter is indeed the core of our paper: to use quantum technology to protect current and future blockchains from quantum attacks.”.
Duncan Jones, Head of Cybersecurity at Quantinuum, added: “The most valuable digital assets demand the highest levels of security. By combining quantum-safe algorithms with quantum-computer-hardened keys from our Quantum Origin platform, this work demonstrates a significant security improvement for blockchain systems.”.
About LACChain
LACChain is a global alliance that brings together various stakeholders in the blockchain space, led by the Innovation Lab of the Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Lab), with the goal of developing the blockchain ecosystem in Latin America and the Caribbean. Its mission is to accelerate the adoption of blockchain technology in the region, promoting innovation, reducing economic, social, and gender inequalities, improving job quality and security, and fostering financial inclusion, consumer protection, and market integrity. To achieve these goals, LACChain focuses on two main pillars: community and infrastructure. Through its initiatives, LACChain aims to empower people, improve digital security, build trust in the digital economy and society, and foster energy efficiency, all while supporting inclusive growth, well-being, human rights, and fundamental values. For more information about LACChain and its initiatives, please visit their website at www.lacchain.net.
About Tecnologico de Monterrey
Tecnologico de Monterrey was founded in 1943 thanks to the vision of Don Eugenio Garza Sada and a group of entrepreneurs who formed a non-profit association called Enseñanza e Investigación Superior, A. C. Tecnologico de Monterrey is a private, non-profit, independent institution with no political and religious affiliations. The work of Tecnológico de Monterrey on all of its campuses is supported by civil associations made up of a numerous group of outstanding leaders from all over the country who are committed to quality in higher education. Tecnologico de Monterrey is widely recognized as one of the most prestigious universities in Latin America and it ranks among the top 200 universities in the world according to QS World University Rankings.
About Quantinuum
Quantinuum is one of the world’s largest integrated standalone quantum computing companies, formed by the combination of Honeywell Quantum Solutions’ world-leading hardware and Cambridge Quantum’s class-leading middleware and applications. Science-led and enterprise driven, Quantinuum accelerates quantum computing and the development of applications across chemistry, cybersecurity, finance, and optimization. Its focus is to create scalable and commercial quantum solutions to solve the world’s most pressing problems, in fields such as energy, logistics, climate change, and health. The company employs over 480 people including 350 scientists, at nine sites in the US, Europe, and Japan.
About Quantinuum
Quantinuum, the world’s largest integrated quantum company, pioneers powerful quantum computers and advanced software solutions. Quantinuum’s technology drives breakthroughs in materials discovery, cybersecurity, and next-gen quantum AI. With over 500 employees, including 370+ scientists and engineers, Quantinuum leads the quantum computing revolution across continents.
BROOMFIELD, Colo., September 11, 2026 - Quantinuum Inc. (Nasdaq: QNT) (the “Company”), a leading quantum computing company, today announced that members of its management team will participate in the Piper Sandler 5th Annual Growth Frontiers Conference, taking place September 14–16, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Quantinuum will participate in a fireside chat and host one-on-one meetings with investors during the conference.
About Quantinuum
Quantinuum is a leading quantum computing company offering a full-stack platform designed to make quantum computing deployable in real-world environments. The company has commercially deployed multiple generations of trapped-ion based quantum systems built on the well-established QCCD architecture, which it has implemented with novel designs and capabilities to achieve the industry’s highest accuracy levels based on average two-qubit gate fidelity. Quantinuum has active engagements with market leaders across pharmaceuticals, material science, financial services, and government and industrial markets, as well as academic and research institutions globally.
The company has a global workforce of approximately 800 employees, including top scientists and researchers. Over 70% of its technology team holds PhDs or Master’s degrees. Quantinuum’s headquarters is in Broomfield, Colorado, with additional facilities across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Qatar, and Singapore.
Contacts
Investor & Media Contact
Shub Mukherjee - Investor Contact - investors@quantinuum.com
Aaron Sorenson - Media Contact - press@quantinuum.com
- The federal funding supports critical R&D and U.S. quantum semiconductor manufacturing capabilities needed to scale fault-tolerant trapped-ion quantum computing.
- Company partnering with GlobalFoundries to fabricate next-gen ion traps and control electronics, and Monarch Quantum to develop and manufacture reliable lasers and optical components.
Washington, D.C. – September 8, 2026 – Quantinuum (Nasdaq: QNT), a leading quantum computing company, today announced it has finalized an agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s CHIPS Research and Development Office for $100 million in federal funding deployed through the CHIPS and Science Act. The award, which follows a letter of intent announced in May, supports R&D and U.S. quantum semiconductor manufacturing capabilities needed to deploy large-scale, fault-tolerant trapped-ion quantum computers.
Quantinuum, which was the only company with a trapped-ion based architecture to be awarded CHIPS R&D funding, develops the world’s most accurate commercial1 computers with industry-leading error correction fidelity.2 The company leverages established semiconductor manufacturing processes to help ensure reliability, repeatability, and scalability of the company’s current and future quantum computers.
“This award is a validation of Quantinuum’s leadership in trapped-ion quantum computing," said Dr. Rajeeb Hazra, President and CEO of Quantinuum. “Together with our domestic partners, we are building the technology and supply-chain foundation needed to scale fault-tolerant systems and strengthen America's leadership in this strategically important field.”
The award will support R&D that the company expects to help strengthen and diversify its supply chain, adding onshore partners GlobalFoundries and Monarch Quantum. GlobalFoundries will be one of several of Quantinuum’s foundries enlisted to fabricate its next-generation ion traps and other electronics, specifically focused on using 300mm wafer technology; Monarch Quantum plans to develop and manufacture scalable, reliable lasers and optical components required for Quantinuum’s trapped-ion systems.
“As quantum computing moves closer to commercial scale, manufacturing will be critical to unlocking its full potential,” said Tim Breen, CEO of GlobalFoundries. “GlobalFoundries is proud to partner with Quantinuum to help scale their trapped-ion technology. By bringing our expertise in high-volume, differentiated semiconductor manufacturing, we're helping create a path to more scalable, reliable quantum hardware and advancing the next generation of American innovation.”
“The road to large-scale, trapped-ion quantum computers relies on moving away from complex, sprawling optical setups to scalable, reliable integrated photonics engines," said Dr. Timothy Day, CEO of Monarch Quantum. "We are honored to expand our partnership with Quantinuum to advance their hardware roadmap and to help strengthen U.S. leadership in quantum computing manufacturing and supply chain resilience.”
Together, these efforts are intended to reduce system complexity and improve component robustness, reliability, and reproducibility, ultimately supporting the continued scaling of trapped-ion quantum computers, while strengthening domestic capability across critical photonics and semiconductor manufacturing.
About Quantinuum
Quantinuum is a leading quantum computing company offering a full-stack platform designed to make quantum computing deployable in real-world environments. The company has commercially deployed multiple generations of trapped-ion based quantum systems built on the well-established QCCD architecture, which it has implemented with novel designs and capabilities to achieve the industry’s highest accuracy levels based on average two-qubit gate fidelity.3 Quantinuum has active engagements with market leaders across pharmaceuticals, material science, financial services, and government and industrial markets, as well as academic and research institutions globally. The company has a global workforce of over 800 employees, including top scientists and researchers. Quantinuum’s headquarters is in Broomfield, Colorado, with additional facilities across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Qatar, and Singapore. For more information, please visit www.quantinuum.com.
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts. The words “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “future,” “will,” “seek,” “foreseeable,” the negative version of these words, or similar terms and phrases are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on certain assumptions and assessments made by our management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. The forward-looking statements included in this release are also subject to a number of material risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to economic, competitive, governmental, and technological factors affecting our operations, markets, products, services and prices. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Quantinuum to predict all such factors. For additional information on these and other risks that could affect Quantinuum’s forward-looking statements, see Quantinuum’s risk factors discussed in its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2026, as such risk factors may be updated from time to time. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and, except as required by law, Quantinuum does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
1 Based on physical two-qubit gate fidelity as of December 31, 2025, according to the 2025 Ransford et al. study.
2 As of February 25, 2026, according to the 2026 Dasu et al. study.
3 As of December 31, 2025.
BROOMFIELD, Colo., September 4, 2026 - Quantinuum Inc. (Nasdaq: QNT) (the “Company”), a leading quantum computing company, today announced that members of its management team will participate in the Bernstein 23rd Annual Pan-European Strategic Decisions Conference, taking place September 9–10, 2026, in London, United Kingdom.
Quantinuum will participate in a fireside chat and host one-on-one meetings with investors during the conference.
About Quantinuum
Quantinuum is a leading quantum computing company offering a full-stack platform designed to make quantum computing deployable in real-world environments. The company has commercially deployed multiple generations of trapped-ion based quantum systems built on the well-established QCCD architecture, which it has implemented with novel designs and capabilities to achieve the industry’s highest accuracy levels based on average two-qubit gate fidelity. Quantinuum has active engagements with market leaders across pharmaceuticals, material science, financial services, and government and industrial markets, as well as academic and research institutions globally.
The company has a global workforce of approximately 800 employees, including top scientists and researchers. Over 70% of its technology team holds PhDs or Master’s degrees. Quantinuum’s headquarters is in Broomfield, Colorado, with additional facilities across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Qatar, and Singapore.
Contacts
Investor & Media Contact
Shub Mukherjee - Investor Contact - investors@quantinuum.com
Aaron Sorenson - Media Contact - press@quantinuum.com