Participants holding Starknet started casting votes on Thursday regarding whether the platform ought to investigate transforming into a standalone Layer 1 network with enhanced security management as the dangers of quantum computing draw nearer.
As of this writing, 177.6 million STRK tokens had been voted, featuring 99.91% supporting a “Yes” choice, based on data from the Snapshot poll. Should the measure pass, the core developers would proceed by introducing more comprehensive suggestions alongside further voting rounds. A “no” outcome would keep Starknet’s post-quantum initiatives on its current Layer 2 trajectory, as explained by Starkware.
StarkWare initially suggested the L1 concept earlier this month, mentioning on Oct. 8 that Starknet’s reliance upon Ethereum makes it vulnerable to whether that network can adopt quantum-safe and AI-safe measures swiftly enough. Chief Executive Officer Eli Ben-Sasson argued that blockchains require proper cryptographic tools, upgrade flexibility, and—in the specific case of Starknet—a transition to Layer 1 in order to adequately prepare for such risks.
Starknet currently utilizes hash-based STARK proofs, and its user accounts are capable of integrating post-quantum signatures without requiring any protocol-level modifications. Nevertheless, its token bridge connecting to Ethereum alongside its data availability mechanisms remain bound to Ethereum’s underlying architecture and upgrade schedule, as outlined in the proposal.
“There is no established schedule for that yet, though Starknet holds an initial advantage over the majority of networks,” StarkWare stated, further noting that “the components of Starknet governed directly by Starknet can achieve quantum resistance in the near future.”
This security initiative arrives alongside the debut of novel privacy capabilities within Starknet. Earlier in the week, StarkWare rolled out Shadow Accounts, an STRK20 privacy mechanism utilizing enduring pseudonymous addresses designed for decentralized applications, enabling participants to manage holdings without exposing public connections between their activity and primary wallets.
Originally published at https://www.theblock.co/news/ecosystems/2026-10-15-starknet-opens-seven-day-vote-on-independent-layer-1-over-quantum-risks-418673.
