Google has brought forward its post‑quantum migration horizon to 2029 and has warned that time is running out for classical cryptography. In this new context, Naoris Protocol ($NAORIS) is activating the first Layer 1 blockchain designed from scratch to resist quantum computers: its mainnet is now live.
On April 2, 2026, Naoris Protocol officially switched on its main network, which it presents as the first natively post‑quantum Layer 1, conceived from its genesis to withstand attacks capable of breaking current cryptographic schemes. Access begins in invite‑only mode for a group of validators and strategic partners, with a progressive expansion planned for the coming weeks.
The quantum clock is speeding up: important for all of crypto
For years, the quantum threat sounded like science fiction. Today, it is a calendar. Recent research by Google Quantum AI indicates that a quantum computer with around one million qubits could factor 2048-bit RSA keys in approximately one week, whereas billions of qubits and much more distant horizons were previously estimated.
Google has set 2029 as its target date for completing its migration to post‑quantum cryptography, ahead of the official timelines of the US administration, which place the general target around 2035. The message is clear: the room for manoeuvre has shrunk drastically.
This shift hits cryptocurrencies and any blockchain-based infrastructure head-on. Almost all current networks rely on the ECDSA signature algorithm, which is vulnerable to quantum attacks: every transaction signed today with classical cryptography is recorded forever and becomes a potential target the day sufficient quantum capability exists.
“Harvest now, decrypt later” attacks are already documented: malicious actors capture encrypted information now in order to decrypt it once they have the necessary quantum resources. Google and other researchers warn that this strategy is especially critical for crypto assets, because blockchains cannot be rewound or rewritten once transactions are recorded.
The regulatory turn: from theory to obligation
The move is not only technological; it is also regulatory. In August 2024, NIST published the first three federal post‑quantum cryptography standards: FIPS 203 (ML‑KEM), FIPS 204 (ML‑DSA, based on CRYSTALS‑Dilithium) and FIPS 205 (SLH‑DSA, based on SPHINCS+). NIST itself encourages system administrators to begin migrating “as soon as possible”, and has pointed to 2030‑2035 as the horizon for retiring classical RSA.
In parallel, the European Union is advancing regulations requiring critical infrastructure to transition to quantum-resistant algorithms before 2030, in line with these recommendations. For governments, banks, payment infrastructures and crypto asset custodians, post‑quantum security is no longer optional and becomes a requirement for operational continuity.
What Naoris Protocol actually proposes
Naoris Protocol is not a security layer added on top of an existing blockchain. The project defines itself as a “Sub‑Zero Layer”: an infrastructure layer that sits below L0‑L3 and aims to protect the entire decentralized stack, from blockchains to traditional Web2 and Web3 systems.
Native post‑quantum architecture
At the heart of Naoris, all transactions are signed with ML‑DSA (CRYSTALS‑Dilithium) at security level 5, the highest level contemplated in NIST standards for digital signatures. This means that, from the first block, the network’s keys and signatures are designed to resist known quantum attacks, rather than relying on legacy schemes built for the pre‑quantum era.
At the same time, smart contracts are EVM-compatible, so developers can keep working with Solidity, Hardhat and the rest of their usual stack, while deploying applications that are post‑quantum by default, with no additional configuration.
dPoSec consensus: security as an economic resource
The second key piece is the dPoSec (Decentralized Proof‑of‑Security) consensus mechanism. Rather than simply validating blocks, the network actively incentivizes anomaly detection and real-time validation of device integrity.
Each validator node also uses ML‑DSA‑87 signatures, so that not only the application layer but the consensus process itself is shielded against quantum attacks. Participation in security becomes an economic good: the nodes that best protect the network earn higher rewards, aligning incentives with the system’s resilience.
Cross-ecosystem compatibility
Naoris’s stated scope is ambitious: securing L1/L2 blockchains, centralized exchanges, DeFi protocols, custody systems, tokenized real-world assets (RWA), CBDCs, cross‑chain bridges and even individual wallets. Its “security mesh” architecture seeks to behave like a distributed immune system that can extend to both native crypto infrastructure and traditional financial and payment systems.
The big question lies in execution: how, and how fast, will the integrations, SDKs and enterprise tools be rolled out to allow banks, payment gateways and Web3 projects to adopt this Sub‑Zero layer seamlessly?
A massive testnet as a proving ground
Ahead of the mainnet, Naoris launched a DePIN testnet that began in 2025 and served as a gigantic open stress test. The network processed tens of millions of post‑quantum transactions, created millions of wallets and activated hundreds of thousands of distributed security nodes, while neutralizing hundreds of millions of threats in real time.
Publications from the project itself and specialized media highlight figures such as more than 80 million post‑quantum transactions, around 2.8 million wallets and nearly 900,000 security nodes deployed, as well as hundreds of millions of threats blocked during the test phase.
What matters is that these results were achieved in an open environment, with hundreds of thousands of real participants and heterogeneous devices acting as trusted validator nodes. The challenge now is to validate this performance and these metrics in a mainnet scenario, where real capital is already at stake and institutions have service requirements.
Institutional recognition and strategic positioning
Naoris’s narrative rests not only on technology but also on regulatory recognition. In September 2025, an independent 63-page report submitted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) —the Post‑Quantum Financial Infrastructure Framework (PQFIF)— cited Naoris Protocol as a reference model for the financial sector’s transition to quantum-resistant infrastructure.
Specialized media note that this document, addressed to the SEC’s Crypto Assets Task Force, places Naoris at the center of US regulatory priorities on cybersecurity, highlighting its Sub‑Zero Layer approach and its use of NIST-approved algorithms (ML‑KEM, ML‑DSA, SLH‑DSA).
On the market front, Naoris is backed by investors such as Draper Associates, Tim Draper’s fund, as well as strategic rounds led by firms such as Mason Labs and other players specializing in deeptech and cybersecurity. The network has also attracted to its advisory board figures from Norway’s national cyber defense and experts in critical infrastructure security.
In January 2026, Mova Chain announced a strategic investment to integrate Naoris’s security layer into card payment infrastructure, targeting use cases where quantum security directly impacts the end-user experience. In addition, the protocol has been recognized as “Best DePIN Project” at both the Cryptonomist Awards 2025 and the Crypto Impact Awards, reinforcing its position as a benchmark in the cybersecurity-oriented DePIN segment.
What it means for users, governments and protocols
For the average crypto user, the quantum threat may still feel distant, but for governments, central banks, institutional custodians and DeFi protocols managing billions, it has become an infrastructure priority. The question is no longer whether to migrate, but who will offer a clear, standard and secure path to do so.
Naoris aims to fill precisely that role: to become the trust glue that allows blockchains, exchanges, custodians and payment gateways to adopt post‑quantum cryptography without breaking their business models or the user experience. Its proposal fits the regulatory trend calling for solutions aligned with NIST standards and capable of operating in both Web2 and Web3 environments.
However, real adoption will be decided on three very specific fronts:
- The launch and maturity of SDKs and developer tools.
- The speed at which integrations with major exchange, custody and payment players arrive.
- The network’s ability to maintain competitive performance, security and costs once institutional capital comes in.
The mainnet is now live; the technological thesis is on the table. From here on, it will be the market —and especially the institutions with the most to lose from Q‑Day— that decides whether Naoris becomes the de facto standard for the post‑quantum transition.
FAQ
What is Naoris Protocol?
Naoris Protocol is a post‑quantum Layer 1 blockchain that uses NIST-approved algorithms, such as ML‑DSA based on CRYSTALS‑Dilithium, to protect transactions, smart contracts and validators against future quantum computer attacks.
Why is post‑quantum cryptography urgent?
Recent research shows that RSA‑2048 could be broken by a quantum computer with around one million qubits in a matter of days or weeks, drastically shortening expected timelines. Google has set 2029 as its internal deadline to complete its post‑quantum migration, while NIST plans to gradually retire classical algorithms such as RSA by 2035.
Is the Naoris mainnet open to everyone?
Not yet. In this first phase, the network operates with invitation-only access for validators and strategic partners, while documentation, SDKs and onboarding channels are prepared for developers and, later, for the general public.
