Ethereum research group Ethlabs has proposed a pathway to quantum-resistant accounts ahead of the network’s ability to process such transactions at full scale.
Under the November 11 proposal, users could adopt the protection sooner, though quantum-enabled transactions would cost more than standard transactions because they require additional data space.
The pqai27 proposal targets quantum-resistant account readiness and consensus by 2027. Full-capacity support remains a stretch goal for that year, and the idea is still a proposal.
Compare the proposed routes
Compare the proposed routesAccount userRollup
At readiness, wallet support enables account migration and higher-cost post-quantum transactions.
The proposed account routeWallet tooling enables migration, then early quantum-enabled transactions have higher costs. 1Wallet supportTooling + signing support2Migrate accountUser adoption still needed3PQ transactionsHigher cost at readiness Fee amount is not specified in the proposal.The proposed account routeWallet tooling enables migration, then early quantum-enabled transactions have higher costs. 1Wallet supportTooling + signing support2Migrate accountUser adoption still needed3PQ transactionsHigher cost at readiness Fee amount is not specified in the proposal.
Rollups could choose PQ calldata at readiness. PQ blobs belong to the proposed full-scale stage.
Two proposed rollup data optionsThe optional readiness fallback is post-quantum calldata at higher inclusion cost. At full scale rollups could use post-quantum blobs. Calldata use is not a prerequisite for blobs. Rollup data Two proposed routes OPTIONAL AT READINESS PQ calldata Higher inclusion cost; no required switch AT FULL SCALE PQ blobs Needs post-quantum data availability Calldata is data carried in regular blocks. Choosing it is not a prerequisite for blobs.Two proposed rollup data optionsRollups may choose post-quantum calldata at readiness, while post-quantum blobs belong to the full-scale stage. The fallback is optional. Rollup data Two proposed routes OPTIONAL AT READINESS PQ calldata Higher inclusion costNo required switch AT FULL SCALE PQ blobs Needs post-quantumdata availability Calldata is data carried in regular blocks. Choosing it is not a prerequisite for blobs.
Early protection would carry a transaction cost premium; full scale needs additional protocol work.
The 2027 goal is a proposal; full scale is a stretch goal. Wallet migration is separate work. The proposal supplies no numerical fee premium, and full-capacity support does not establish fee parity.
Ethlabs also proposes an optional fallback that carries quantum-enabled transaction data in regular blocks via calldata, before post-quantum blobs become available.
A New Ethereum Account Route Depends on Wallet Support
Ethlabs positions orderly user migration—including tooling and wallet support—outside the formal network upgrade schedule. Protocol readiness alone would not complete adoption; wallets and users still face practical steps.
Draft EIP-8141, known as Frame Transactions, forms part of the proposed foundation. It would allow account code to define transaction validation and gas payment, creating a native path away from current elliptic-curve signatures while supporting key rotation.
The plan pairs Frame Transactions with the SPHINCS post-quantum signature scheme and other account proposals. Upgrading consensus remains a separate, substantial task, and design choices remain unresolved.
Ethereum.org’s Hegotá roadmap, last updated October 16, lists Frames for inclusion in that upgrade, which remains in planning without a confirmed date. That earlier item is distinct from Ethlabs’ new proposal for broader quantum readiness in 2027.
Ethlabs said it will withdraw its Quick Slots proposal for faster slots from Hegotá and redirect resources toward pqai27.
For users weighing the proposed account route, the practical milestones are wallet migration support and the cost of quantum-enabled transactions, followed by aggregation and data-availability upgrades needed for full-scale use.
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