Arc, an upcoming layer-1 blockchain backed by Circle, has announced its mainnet will launch with built-in post-quantum signature support. The Ethereum-compatible network’s phased roadmap targets full quantum resistance for wallets, validators, and infrastructure. This move addresses urgent warnings from experts who predict quantum computers could break current cryptographic security within a few years, with Google projecting a real threat to Bitcoin by 2032.
Arc Network will launch its mainnet with built-in post-quantum signature support as part of a broader quantum-resistant roadmap. The Ethereum Virtual Machine-compatible blockchain, backed by USDC issuer Circle, aims to protect institutional digital assets from future attacks.
The roadmap spans wallets, private smart contract state, validator authentication, and infrastructure. The company stated Arc’s design is opt-in and will not force disruptive network-wide resets.
Post-quantum signature support arrives with the mainnet launch, while quantum-resistance for private state is a “near-term” enhancement. “The organizations that lead this transition will be the ones that started building before the urgency became undeniable,” Arc’s roadmap document reads.
The technical challenges are significant, as post-quantum signatures can be an order of magnitude larger than classical ones. Arc’s documentation notes that Bitcoin’s migration to post-quantum wallets alone could take months of continuous processing in a best-case scenario.
The threat has gained urgency with warnings about “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Google recently said the quantum threat to Bitcoin could take root by 2032.
Bitcoin developers have discussed potential mitigation solutions for years. Meanwhile, Ethereum developers have coalesced around a roadmap championed by co-founder Vitalik Buterin.
