TLDR
- Starknet’s community-backed independent layer-1 research received 93.52% voting support from approximately 3,200 votes.
- The non-binding vote allows further research but does not authorize Starknet’s departure from Ethereum.
- StarkWare and the Starknet Foundation plan to develop technical proposals, with a draft whitepaper expected in November.
- Starknet seeks quantum resistance by 2027, while Ethereum’s projected timeline extends to 2029.
- STRK will remain the native token, and Ethereum bridges will stay open under the proposed framework.
Starknet secured backing to study leaving Ethereum and becoming an independent blockchain built for quantum security. The seven-day governance poll closed on October 22, with 93.52% of voting power supporting further research.
About 3,200 votes entered the poll. StarkWare called it Starknet’s largest governance vote and said it abstained.
Starknet Vote Clears Research, Not Departure
The result does not authorize an exit from Ethereum. StarkWare and the Starknet Foundation can now examine a standalone layer-1 network, but any change would require another binding vote.
Starknet remains an Ethereum layer-2 network while that work proceeds. StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson expects a draft whitepaper in November for public review. A joint working group will prepare technical options for operating independently. The researchers have not released a finished design yet.
Why Ethereum Dependence Matters
StarkWare raised the proposal on October 8 because Starknet relies on Ethereum for transaction data and its bridge. Those services would still follow Ethereum’s security timetable. Separately, Ethereum developers have focused on proof security as they expand zero-knowledge technology.
Starknet already uses STARK proofs, which rely on hash-based methods. Its account design can support new digital signatures without a major protocol change. The proposal says these features offer protection against future quantum computers.
However, a separate blockchain would need its own systems to verify transactions and keep network records available. Researchers must establish how those systems would work before presenting a final plan to token holders.
Quantum Roadmap and Next Steps
The wider debate follows recent Google quantum computing research that reported progress in reducing errors. That work did not demonstrate an attack on blockchain security. StarkWare has not reported such an attack either.
In June, StarkWare presented a three-stage security roadmap. It covers new signing methods, contract changes and infrastructure that currently depends on Ethereum. Its Quantum Hub tested a quantum-resistant transaction on Starknet, but independent auditors have not reviewed the method.
Meanwhile, nine crypto companies recently launched a joint quantum security effort focused on Bitcoin. The wider industry has yet to establish when quantum machines might threaten existing systems.
Ben-Sasson wants Starknet to reach quantum resistance by 2027, compared with Ethereum’s projected 2029 timeline. Developers have not set a date for any independent layer-1 launch.
