THE QELORUS BRIEF #3

The Qelorus Brief #3 | Oct 12 to Oct 18, 2026 | Aztec Roadmap, Aerie, and Coinbase’s preferences

Aidan Mott

Oct 20, 2026

THIS WEEK

Aztec Network releases post-quantum roadmap
a16z crypto and LayerZero Labs Share Aerie
Coinbase shares preferences on Bitcoin’s PQ Migration

LEAD

Aztec Network releases post-quantum roadmap

10/15/2026 | https://aztec.network/blog/post-quantum-aztec

Aztec Network shared a post-quantum roadmap outlining the migration surface and planned deadlines. The first roadmap target date is February 2027 for “hardened libraries” and “better off-the-shelf contract development patterns” that prevent harvest-now-decrypt-later (HNDL) attacks. The second is 2030 for a full post-quantum migration. Sub-milestones highlighted are choosing a PQ signature scheme by March 2027, choosing a PQ public key encryption scheme with constrained note delivery benchmarked in leading proof systems by July 2027, and choosing a PQ proving system by November 2027.

The protocol layer changes highlighted that need to be updated for PQ migration are a post-quantum proving system, replacing current elliptic curve addresses and public keys with PQ equivalents, PQ signatures for validator keys and signatures, and adopting any dependencies from Ethereum L1. The application layer changes outlined are PQ signatures, PQ KEMs, and PQ public key encryption.

Aztec highlights the dependencies from Ethereum that need PQ changes as replacement of BLS12-381 KZG commitments at the DA layer, PQ SNARK primitives to replace existing BN254 EVM precompiles, and a PQ solution for EOA pubkeys and signatures and BLS keys.

NETWORK UPDATES

Sui’s first devnet Quantum-Safe Transaction

10/13/2026 | https://devnet.suivision.xyz/txblock/BsLeEVtj8RJcb4XN8kURrVvogjp8kq6wA6nMrw2VwVHH?tab=Overview

The first Sui transaction using a PQ signature scheme, ML-DSA-65, occurred on the Sui devnet on Oct. 13, 2026.

Starknet non-binding poll on migration to Layer 1

10/15/2026 |

https://governance.starknet.io/#/s:starknet.eth/proposal/0x31dffc8b6f24c580540cc967fdede3d8e9d513c105d3f699a14ae65bd0dc5d74

| https://community.starknet.io/t/should-starknet-become-an-independent-post-quantum-l1/116392

Following discussions from the StarkWare team on exploring transitioning Starknet to an L1, citing an interest in achieving post-quantum on an accelerated timeline independent of Ethereum’s migration, a non-binding Snapshot poll on the subject has been created. The poll options in response to the question “Should Starknet become an independent post-quantum L1?” are to research migration to a Layer 1, not to research it, or to remain neutral. Voting on the poll ends Oct. 22, 2026.

Quantum Unlinkability for Zcash Swaps

10/18/2026 | https://zakura.com/engineering/quantum-unlinkability/

Zakura announced that a solution for “quantum unlinkability” will be released and available for software wallets using Zakura libraries in “the coming weeks.” The problem addressed is a CRQC using a published shielded address to recover an account’s incoming viewing key and link every payment the account has received. The solution is that each published swap address gets its own incoming viewing key while the spending key remains the same. The solution is described (

Adam 🇺🇸@adamleetucker17

@SH3CKLR This is just a temporary solution until we get to a more permanent / scalable solution in Tachyon

2:23 PM · Oct 18, 2026 · 134 Views

2 Likes

) as a “temporary solution until we get to a more permanent / scalable solution in Tachyon” and is optimized for the use case around using NEAR Intents.

CRYPTOGRAPHY & STANDARDS

CUTS: Chained Uniform-sum Tree Signatures Full Paper Release

10/14/2026 | https://eprint.iacr.org/2026/2455

The Project Eleven team has released a full academic paper on the previously announced (

Conor Deegan@conordeegan

Introducing CUTS (Chained Uniform-sum Tree Signatures), a new few-time hash-based signature scheme from our research team at Project Eleven. Hash-based signatures are one of the most conservative paths to post-quantum security. Their security rests only on hash functions, but …

6:12 PM · Sep 28, 2026 · 18.7K Views

11 Replies · 11 Reposts · 80 Likes

) CUTS few-time hash-based signature scheme. The paper includes the full specification and security proofs.

Aerie: Efficient Aggregation of Falcon Signatures

10/16/2026 | https://assets.layerzero.network/pdf/aerie.pdf | https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/fast-post-quantum-signature-aggregation-with-lattice-snarks | https://layerzero.network/blog/introducing-aerie

a16z crypto, LayerZero Labs, Carnegie Mellon University, and Imperial College London released a paper on Aerie, a system for aggregating lattice-based signatures using lattice-based SNARKs. Aerie supports both Falcon-512 and Falcon-1024 signature variants. Aerie is built using the previously announced lattice-based polynomial commitment scheme Akita.

INFRASTRUCTURE & VENDORS

Coinbase shares preferences on Bitcoin’s PQ Migration

10/13/2026 | https://www.coinbase.com/blog/working-together-on-btc-post-quantum-readiness

Coinbase shared a blog outlining what they say is “not a set of instructions or a final Coinbase position” but input to an open discussion on the PQ migration of Bitcoin. Coinbase’s points include:

Work around the migration should start now.
Bitcoin should support cryptographic agility, in which schemes can be easily replaced or supported in parallel.
Supports adding PQ signatures while classical signatures are still supported.
Supports stateful signatures if stateless signatures are also supported in parallel.
Emphasizes that MPC-friendliness is a very important consideration for Coinbase itself and its customers.
Believes that the discussion on what to do with at-risk funds that do not upgrade can happen in parallel and should not be a blocker to necessary PQ migration work.

DEALS & COMPANIES

NYC Initiative with NYU on Quantum Technology Lab

10/14/2026 | https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/10/mayor-mamdani-announces-new-nyu-quantum-fabrication-facility--fi

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a deal in which New York City will award $29.2 million to NYU to establish QFab, a quantum technology lab. In exchange, the city will receive 15% of proceeds from IP created at the lab using city-funded tools, as well as board seats.

IonQ to Acquire Elisity

10/12/2026 | https://ionq.com/news/ionq-to-acquire-elisity-to-accelerate-zero-trust-for-the-quantum-era

IonQ announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Elisity, “a Zero Trust security Company,” in an all-stock transaction valued “at up to $1.3 billion.”

POLICY & REGULATION

Guideline for implementation of EU roadmap to post-quantum cryptography for Germany

10/12/2026 | https://www.bsi.bund.de/DE/Service-Navi/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/Presse2026/261012_Leitlinie-PQC.html

Germany released a guideline outlining the timeline for the transition to post-quantum cryptography under the roadmap laid out by the EU. The guideline calls for cryptographic inventories to be completed by the end of 2026. Additionally, the guideline highlights that high-risk systems should be migrated by the end of 2030 at the latest, and as many systems as possible by 2035.