Starknet, the Ethereum scaling network developed by StarkWare, is considering leaving its current layer-2 structure and becoming an independent layer-1 blockchain, with a stated target of 2027 for becoming the first fully quantum-resistant network.
The proposal sent Starknet’s STRK token sharply higher. It traded near $0.073 on Friday, up about 20% over 24 hours, according to Decrypt. That was more than twice its approximate $0.03 price in April, when StarkWare reduced its staff while pursuing revenue growth.
Why Starknet is considering a move
Starknet said on X that it is “actively considering becoming an L1.” The project said the change would allow it to pursue full quantum resistance on its own timetable, with 2027 set as its target.
An L1, or layer 1, is a base blockchain that validates and secures its own transactions. Bitcoin and Ethereum are examples. Starknet currently operates as an L2, meaning it is built on top of Ethereum. It groups transactions into batches and relies on Ethereum for the underlying security of those transactions.
StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson argued that this dependence limits Starknet’s ability to respond independently to future security threats. As an L2, he said, Starknet can only be as quantum-safe as Ethereum, the base network on which it depends.
Moving to an L1 would give Starknet direct control over security upgrades rather than requiring it to wait for changes to Ethereum or another underlying blockchain. It would also change the network’s security model: instead of borrowing Ethereum’s protection, Starknet would be responsible for securing itself.
The announcement did not explain how existing applications and users would transition if the change goes ahead.
The quantum-resistance argument
The proposal is centered on the possibility that sufficiently powerful quantum computers could eventually break elliptic-curve cryptography. That cryptography underpins digital signatures used to prove ownership of assets on networks including Bitcoin and Ethereum.
Starknet’s proof system already relies on hash functions, which turn data into fixed-length digital fingerprints and are considered resistant to quantum attacks. However, the network has said that some elliptic-curve components remain and would need to be replaced under a roadmap published on June 30.
Ben-Sasson said the quantum threat could arrive sooner than expected. He also pointed to the accelerating capabilities of artificial intelligence in mathematics, arguing that both developments require a more urgent approach to network security. He described this approach as “bunker mode,” a phrase also recently used by Ethereum researcher Justin Drake in a separate call for action.
Ethereum’s published roadmap targets core post-quantum infrastructure around 2029. The Ethereum Foundation formed a dedicated post-quantum team in January, while Drake has said that relevant timelines are accelerating. Ben-Sasson said Starknet could reach quantum resistance in 2027, about two years before the Ethereum date he cited.
Bitcoin has not made a comparable commitment, according to Ben-Sasson. At the same time, no quantum computer can break the cryptographic systems in question today, and experts disagree about when such a machine might become capable of doing so. Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor said last year that he was not concerned about the threat, arguing that banks and technology companies would be affected first.
What becoming an L1 would mean
The proposed shift would give Starknet more autonomy over its security architecture and development schedule. It could make changes without waiting for Ethereum’s roadmap, a point that matters for a project seeking to be among the first networks designed to withstand future quantum threats.
That independence would also bring additional responsibilities. Starknet would no longer rely on Ethereum for the security guarantees associated with its current L2 model. It would have to manage its own security and development, potentially creating a significant challenge compared with Ethereum, which the source describes as the crypto ecosystem’s second-largest and most active project after Bitcoin.
The announcement describes becoming an L1 as an option under consideration rather than a completed transition. No final launch plan, migration process or technical timetable beyond the 2027 target was provided.
Moneyiar market picture
Moneyiar market data recorded at 11:49 on October 11, 2026, shows Ethereum at $2,501.9091462628, up 0.26% over 24 hours but down 7.35% over seven days.
Other tracked tokens were also mixed:
- Shiba Inu was at $0.0000053956, down 1.03% in 24 hours and 5.38% over seven days.
- Uniswap was at $7.5891942101, up 1.10% in 24 hours and down 15.85% over seven days.
- Pepe was at $0.0000040062, down 0.45% in 24 hours and 6.46% over seven days.
These figures are Moneyiar data at the stated time and do not include a current STRK price.
