Starknet Weighs Ethereum Exit for Quantum-Resistant L1

Starknet is considering leaving Ethereum to build an independent Layer 1, with 2027 set as the target for what it describes as the first fully quantum-resistant network. STRK rose 116.7% over seven days to $0.1190 in an Oct. 11 CoinGlass snapshot, including a 17.7% gain over 24 hours. The same snapshot showed $3.5 billion in futures volume, $258.5 million in open interest and $14.8 million in liquidations.

Why it matters

Starknet currently operates as an Ethereum Layer 2, processing transactions separately while relying on Ethereum for settlement and data availability. An independent chain would replace that security infrastructure with Starknet’s own security and settlement model, giving the network more control but also shifting more responsibility onto its developers and users.

The proposal is tied to quantum resistance. StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson has argued that advances in quantum computing and AI research make preparation more urgent. Starknet’s ZK-STARK system uses hash-based assumptions rather than elliptic-curve mechanisms vulnerable to sufficiently powerful quantum computers, and programmable accounts can support alternative signature schemes. StarkWare’s roadmap also covers vulnerabilities in hashing, legacy contracts and dependencies inherited from Ethereum.

Market impact

The Oct. 8 announcement describes an active consideration, not an approved migration timetable. Ethereum’s Protocol cluster has set December 2029 as a target for quantum resistance across its execution, consensus and data layers, creating a separate path for Starknet to assess.

STRK’s rally arrives ahead of an Oct. 15 token unlock. Starknet’s vesting schedule allows up to 127 million STRK to unlock monthly for early contributors and investors through March 2027. At the Oct. 11 price, the maximum tranche would be worth about $15.1 million, or 1.27% of the original 10 billion-token supply. The unlock makes restricted tokens transferable, but does not establish how many recipients will sell.