Naoris Protocol debuted its quantum-resistant blockchain on Thursday, which it says is designed to remain secure even against future powerful quantum computers that could break modern cryptography.
“Mainnet represents the transition from proof-of-concept to production infrastructure. The network has already validated over 100 million transactions using post-quantum cryptography. It’s not a promise of the roadmap; it’s measured, operational capability,” said Nathaniel Szerezla, head of growth for Naoris Protocol.
The debut comes as legacy chains Bitcoin and Ethereum confront the threat of a “quantum apocalypse.” Known as Q-Day, this is the time when future quantum computers can crack the encryption that secures most blockchains.
Concerns escalated this week after Google reported that a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could break Bitcoin’s blockchain with fewer than 500,000 qubits — far lower than previous estimates. At the same time, another report highlighted potential vulnerabilities in Ethereum that could put the $100 billion blockchain at risk.
Because blockchain transactions like those on Bitcoin and Ethereum are permanent, any weakness today can be exploited by future quantum computers with the necessary power.
Naoris is built differently
This is where Naoris stands out. It is built from the ground up using post-quantum cryptography and algorithms approved by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology to protect accounts, transactions and digital assets, according to the press release shared with CoinDesk.
The system incorporates an “irreversible safety transition.” This means that once a user adopts post-quantum keys, it must use quantum-resistant signatures for transactions. The protocol automatically blocks transaction attempts using traditional, vulnerable cryptographic methods, helping to protect assets even when classical cryptography becomes vulnerable.
More importantly, while its quantum-resistant security is currently only available on its own mainnet, the system is built with broad scope in mind for potential support for wallets, exchanges, Layer 2 networks and DeFi platforms in the future.
The mainnet was launched with an invitation-only group of strategic participants who run the first validation nodes and form the initial trust layer of the network, laying a strong foundation before wider expansion. The protocol was tested at scale in an extensive testnet phase where it detected and mitigated over 603 million threats, processed more than 106 million post-quantum transactions, created over 3.3 million wallets and activated more than one million security nodes globally.
The protocol’s native token NAORIS governs how the network works, helping to secure transactions, enforce rules and build trust among users. At press time, the token’s market capitalization was $36 million.
