Starknet Jumps as It Weighs Leaving Ethereum to Become Its Own Quantum-Ready Chain

Starknet just put one of the biggest assumptions behind its technology on the table: What if an Ethereum layer 2 stopped being an Ethereum layer 2?

The scaling network says it is actively considering becoming an independent layer-1 blockchain, arguing that the move could let it reach full quantum resistance by 2027 instead of waiting for Ethereum’s broader security roadmap. The announcement helped send the STRK token sharply higher, but the proposal carries a tradeoff far larger than one day’s price move.

Decrypt reported that STRK traded near $0.073 after gaining roughly 20% in 24 hours. Starknet currently bundles activity above Ethereum and relies on the base chain for final security.

Becoming a layer 1 would give Starknet direct control over upgrades while also making it responsible for securing its own network.

The report says Starknet is targeting 2027 for full quantum resistance, while Ethereum’s roadmap points toward core post-quantum infrastructure around 2029. Ben-Sasson argues that remaining an L2 leaves Starknet dependent on how quickly Ethereum can replace vulnerable cryptographic components.

The proposal is still under consideration rather than approved. Starknet has not yet published the final security design, validator structure or migration mechanics that an independent chain would require.

We are actively considering becoming an L1.

This would enable Starknet to become the first fully quantum-resistant network, with 2027 as our target. https://t.co/yaFlkp0R1P

— Starknet (@Starknet) October 8, 2026

The quantum clock behind the proposal.

Starknet’s argument centers on the risk that a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could eventually break the elliptic-curve cryptography used to authorize transactions on major blockchains. Such a machine does not exist today, and researchers disagree about how quickly the threat could become practical.

Changing a live network’s core cryptography is the kind of job developers must begin long before an emergency.

Starknet uses zero-knowledge STARK proofs built around hash functions, which are generally considered more resistant to quantum attacks than the signature systems used by Bitcoin and Ethereum. Some elliptic-curve components remain in Starknet’s current architecture, however, so its 2027 goal would still require engineering work and a successful transition.

StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson framed independence as a question of speed. As an L2, Starknet cannot become fully safer than the Ethereum base layer on which it ultimately settles.

If Ethereum’s post-quantum changes arrive later than Starknet wants, an independent chain could move on its own schedule.

Starknet becoming an L1 for post-quantum agility: good idea or bad idea?

Two giant elements we need to pay attention to:
(1) The quantum threat.
It may be MUCH closer than we think.

(2) AI.
It’s becoming more powerful than we can process.
Is anyone willing to bet how much time… pic.twitter.com/bLsxzwX2mQ

— Eli Ben-Sasson | Starknet.io (@EliBenSasson) October 8, 2026

Independence would cut both ways.

Leaving Ethereum would solve one dependency by creating several new responsibilities. Starknet would need a credible security model, a durable validator or sequencer structure, and a clear migration path for applications and users.

It would also give up the simple pitch that activity inherits Ethereum’s settlement guarantees.

That inherited security is one of the main reasons layer-2 networks exist. They can process transactions more efficiently while anchoring their state to a larger base chain. An independent Starknet could upgrade faster and optimize around its own cryptography, but it would have to convince users that its stand-alone security is strong enough to replace what it borrowed from Ethereum.

The announcement did not provide a final architecture, migration schedule or binding decision. That makes the market reaction a bet on optionality rather than a completed transformation.

Starknet has identified a problem, set an aggressive target and opened the most consequential path for debate.

Starknet’s own technical work has long emphasized scalable proofs and cryptographic security. The new question is whether those strengths are best deployed as part of Ethereum’s scaling ecosystem or as the foundation of a separate network.

For Ethereum, the episode is also a warning. Layer-2 projects may not wait forever if their security priorities and upgrade timelines diverge from the base chain.

For Starknet, independence could bring agility—but it would also remove the shelter that made the L2 model attractive in the first place.

The next meaningful signal will not be another price spike. It will be a concrete technical proposal explaining how Starknet would secure the new chain, move existing activity and deliver quantum resistance without turning a bold deadline into a marketing promise.

Join the conversation!

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.