Naoris Protocol has launched its mainnet, introducing a Layer 1 blockchain designed to exploit post-quantum cryptography for transaction validation and network security. The network operates on a confined, invite-only basis, allowing early adopters to run validation nodes and process transactions.
According to an announcement shared with Cointelegraph, it is integrating cryptographic standards finalized by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to address threats in existing blockchains where current encryption methods can become vulnerable to attacks over time.
The protocol’s pre-mainnet testnet processed over 100 million transactions and identified hundreds of millions of potential threats whose activity spanned millions of wallets and nodes, according to design.
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 is starting with a confined group of validators and partners, and wider access will be expanded in stages.
The project includes advisors with experience in cybersecurity, government and enterprise technologies and is backed by investors including Draper Associates.
Related: Is $450 Billion in Bitcoin Quantum Vulnerable? Analysts are wondering
Fresh research suggests that quantum computing may arrive sooner than expected
The launch comes amid revised estimates of quantum computing, which uses qubits and quantum states to process information in a different way than classical computers, encouraging a shift away from current cryptographic standards.
Fresh Google research published on Monday suggests that quantum computers may need far fewer resources than previously thought to crack blockchain encryption. The study found that fewer than 500,000 physical qubits could crack the security systems of Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), a roughly 20-fold reduction from previous estimates.
The findings point to a shorter timeline for quantum risk – Justin Drake, a researcher at the Ethereum Foundation, estimates that the probability that a quantum computer will be able to recover the private key by 2032 is at least 10%.
Scientists at the California Institute of Technology working with Oratomic have reached similar conclusions and recently found that improvements in error correction (which reduce the number of qubits needed to stabilize computations) could lower the requirements for practical systems to 10,000 to 20,000 qubits, compared to earlier assumptions of millions.
Based on these reductions, scientists concluded that a viable quantum computer could appear around 2030.
Blockchain creators are starting to respond. In January, developers in the Solana ecosystem introduced a quantum-resistant vault that uses hash-based signatures to generate up-to-date keys for each transaction, limiting the exposure of public keys.
On March 24, Ethereum Foundation developers launched the “Post-Quantum Ethereum” resource center, where they outlined plans to modernize the network’s cryptography, focusing on protocol-level changes through 2029, while noting the multi-year complexity of such a transition.
