QANplatform launches the world’s first quantum-resistant EVM-compatible testnet

QANplatform launched the world's first quantum-resistant blockchain testnet compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), enabling the development of quantum-resistant smart contracts.

The new testnet will allow developers to write smart contracts using any programming language, according to a QANplatform announcement shared with Cointelegraph.

This is the first EVM-compatible testnet with quantum-proof cybersecurity, QANplatform co-founder and CTO Johannes Poleczak told Cointelegraph.

Central authorities such as governments, companies, and organizations can shift their IT security to post-quantum cryptography more easily than blockchain platforms.

Post-quantum security has become a concern since December 2023 when the second largest quantum processor, the IBM Condor, is launched with 1,121 qubits.

Due to their inherently decentralized nature, mainstream blockchain networks like Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Solana cannot adopt quantum-resistant security measures without significant negative impact, Polsak explained.

“Blockchain defamation backfires on post-quantum migration because it's impossible to tell whether the legitimate owners or hackers who migrate their money and data are stealing everything. In this case, billions of dollars worth of “free money” and data could end up in the hands of hackers immigrating in the name of real owners. If they start, they will immediately invalidate the affected blockchains.

However, the new QANplatform testnet allows EVM-compatible protocols to test the quantum-proof option of their migration process, without risking user funds on the network.

Testanet's announcement comes nearly two months after it became the first European country to adopt the QANplatform's quantum defense technology in March. The technology stack also protects against quantum computing attacks on government-owned cybersecurity infrastructure.

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Quantum security is a concern in 2024.

Governments around the world are already preparing for the post-quantum era. In the year In 2018, the European Union Commission launched a quantum flagship research initiative with a budget of at least 1 billion euros ($1.078 billion) over 10 years.

As QANplatform's Polecsak reports, these efforts are justified considering that quantum computing is posing a serious security threat to everyday Internet users. he said:

“Quantum-resistant technology is critical today because ‘store now, decrypt later' cyber security threats can be exploited by attackers to decrypt encrypted data later using powerful computing techniques such as quantum computers.”

Big companies are also preparing for a post-quantum future. Apple introduced a new update in February that future-proofs iMessages with post-quantum cryptography, making Apple the first of a handful of quantum-proof messaging providers.

The Signal messaging app launched a “quantum-resistant” encryption update in September 2023, but Apple says it's the first to reach “Level 3” encryption.

While it may take a long time to develop quantum computers, post-quantum security should be ahead of the curve, as quantum computers with stable qubits can break today's mainstream cybersecurity algorithms, says Polsak:

“Today's asymmetric cryptographic algorithms like RSA and EC used throughout the Internet – including governments, banks, email providers, social media, blockchain platforms, etc. – can be cracked by quantum computers.

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