Quantum computing poses a long-term threat to blockchain security, and the cryptocurrency industry is beginning to address the issue before powerful quantum computers become capable of breaking major networks.
LayerZero and a16z crypto have announced a partnership to develop Akita, a new cryptographic tool aimed at protecting zero-knowledge technology from future quantum attacks. Akita uses lattice-based cryptography, a mathematical approach being developed for post-quantum security.
How Akita Works
Zero-knowledge technology allows systems to prove that a calculation was performed correctly without revealing the underlying information. Akita functions as a security component within zero-knowledge systems by strengthening the cryptographic layer used to create and verify those proofs.
The tool addresses a vulnerability in current cryptography that may eventually succumb to quantum computers. By implementing lattice-based mathematics, Akita aims to make zero-knowledge proofs quantum-resistant.
Performance Gains
a16z crypto has become the first major deployer of Akita, integrating it into Jolt, its zero-knowledge virtual machine, to create a new version called Lattice Jolt. According to LayerZero, Akita delivers measurable improvements over existing post-quantum approaches:
- Proof sizes reduced to 65–80 KB compared with 200 KB or more for some current post-quantum methods
- Proving process accelerated by 2–3 times
- Memory usage cut by approximately half
Industry-Wide Quantum Preparations
The development reflects broader industry efforts to prepare for quantum threats. Research has suggested that a future 20,000-qubit quantum computer could theoretically break Bitcoin's secp256k1 cryptography in under 26 days. Ethereum developers are targeting 2029 for a quantum-resistant base layer, while Bitcoin developers are also exploring post-quantum upgrades.
Projects like Akita represent proactive infrastructure planning rather than responses to an immediate threat, positioning crypto networks to be secure when quantum computing advances reach that capability.
