Naoris Protocol launches quantum-resistant blockchain as Bitcoin and Ethereum brace for ‘Q-Day’ risks

Naoris Protocol has launched its quantum-resistant mainnet, positioning itself as a blockchain built to withstand the potential threat posed by future quantum computers capable of breaking today’s cryptographic standards.

The new network marks a shift from experimentation to live infrastructure. According to Nathaniel Szerezla, the project’s chief growth officer, the system has already processed more than 100 million transactions using post-quantum cryptography. He emphasized that this reflects real operational performance rather than forward-looking promises.

The launch comes at a time when concerns around a potential “Q-Day”—the point at which quantum machines could compromise existing encryption—are intensifying for established networks like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Recent research has added urgency to the debate, with fresh estimates suggesting that a sufficiently advanced quantum computer could break Bitcoin’s security with far fewer qubits than previously believed. Separate findings have also highlighted possible vulnerabilities within Ethereum’s ecosystem.

Because blockchain data is immutable, any cryptographic weakness today could be exploited retroactively once quantum capabilities reach the required scale, raising long-term security concerns for existing networks.

Naoris aims to address this risk by building its architecture entirely around post-quantum cryptography from the ground up. The protocol uses algorithms approved by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to secure wallets, transactions, and digital assets.

A key feature of the system is what it calls an “irreversible security transition.” Once users migrate to post-quantum keys, all subsequent transactions must use quantum-resistant signatures. The network automatically rejects attempts to use older, potentially vulnerable cryptographic methods, ensuring consistent protection as threats evolve.

While these protections are currently limited to Naoris’ own mainnet, the broader goal is to extend compatibility across wallets, exchanges, Layer 2 solutions, and DeFi platforms over time.

The network launched with an invite-only group of early participants responsible for running validator nodes and establishing the initial trust layer. Prior to launch, the protocol underwent extensive testing, during which it processed over 106 million post-quantum transactions, created more than 3.3 million wallets, activated over one million security nodes worldwide, and identified and mitigated more than 603 million threats.

Naoris’ native token, NAORIS, underpins the network’s operations, supporting transaction validation, governance, and overall system security.