Starknet Considers Leaving Ethereum for Independent Chain to Chase Quantum Security
Starknet explores break from Ethereum to control its own security upgrades
Starknet announced on October 8 that it is "actively considering becoming an L1," a move that would separate the network from Ethereum and let it manage its own security upgrades instead of waiting for Ethereum to act first.
The potential shift is linked to Starknet's goal of achieving full quantum resistance by 2027. Quantum-resistant cryptography is designed to protect blockchains against future quantum computers, which could potentially break the encryption schemes currently used to secure digital assets.
StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson outlined the idea in an X thread on the same day, describing the Layer 1 option as one of several being considered.
What the proposal would change
Under its current setup, Starknet operates as an Ethereum Layer 2, meaning it sends cryptographic proofs to Ethereum for verification and publishes data there so the network's state can be reconstructed. An independent Layer 1 would instead rely on its own consensus mechanism for settlement security.
"The advantage would be control over the network's security migrations, rather than having to wait for Ethereum or Bitcoin to move first," Ben-Sasson wrote.
L2BEAT listed roughly $520 million in total value secured on Starknet at the time of reporting.
How this connects to the quantum roadmap
StarkWare published a post-quantum roadmap on June 30 that ties two remaining vulnerabilities — Ethereum bridge messaging and blob data availability — to Ethereum's own cryptographic migration timeline. Starknet's STARK proving system already avoids the elliptic-curve assumptions that quantum computers could break, but those advantages do not automatically extend to every component of the network.
The migration register, last updated August 19, shows some operating-system hash changes are live on mainnet, while contract-address and state-tree hashing changes remain planned work. Migration tooling for existing contracts is still listed as research.
The roadmap also notes a practical risk: removing Ethereum-facing cryptographic functions before Ethereum completes its own migration would break the bridge. Under the current StarkGate withdrawal process, a withdrawal must be proven and recorded in a state update on Ethereum before funds can be released there.
What has not been decided
The October 8 statements do not announce a specific timeline for a Layer 1 deployment, a design for migrating the bridge, or any changes to STRK token economics. According to StarkWare's published roadmap, all protocol-level changes require approval through Starknet governance, meaning any move to Layer 1 would still need to go through that process before being implemented.
STRK already serves as the token for fee payment, staking, and governance, with native staking having launched in November 2024 while Starknet was still an Ethereum rollup.
Why this matters for Starknet users
If Starknet becomes an independent Layer 1, users who bridge funds between Starknet and Ethereum would need to navigate a different withdrawal and migration process. The move would also give Starknet direct control over when and how it implements post-quantum cryptography upgrades, rather than being paced by Ethereum's timeline.
Where things stand next
Starknet has not set a deployment schedule or announced any concrete next steps. Any protocol changes, including a potential Layer 1 transition, must go through Starknet governance before they can move forward.
Sources
Newisty Editorial Team covers technology, cryptocurrency, digital products, online platforms, developer tools and the wider digital economy. Our content is researched from official sources, company announcements, public documentation, market data and other primary or reputable sources. Articles are reviewed and edited before publication for clarity, accuracy and useful context.