NEAR Protocol deployed its v2.13.0 mainnet upgrade, introducing a quantum-resistant digital signature system based on the NIST-approved ML-DSA-65 algorithm. The upgrade addresses growing concerns over quantum computing threats to blockchain cryptography, enabling account holders to migrate to post-quantum security through a single on-chain transaction without transferring assets or changing account addresses. The release responds to industry-wide reassessment of cryptographic strategies following advances in quantum research and a U.S. executive order issued in June 2026 requiring federal agencies to transition high-value systems to post-quantum cryptography by the end of the decade.
Quantum Computing Research Drives Cryptographic Transition
Recent advances in quantum research have suggested that the computing resources required to break widely used elliptic-curve cryptography may be lower than previously estimated. Since elliptic-curve cryptography secures wallets on major blockchain networks including Bitcoin and Ethereum, the industry has been reassessing its long-term cryptographic strategies.
The U.S. executive order issued in June 2026 requires federal agencies to transition high-value systems to post-quantum cryptography by the end of the decade, with digital signature migration scheduled for completion by 2031. The policy reflects concerns that attackers could collect encrypted information today with the intention of decrypting it once sufficiently powerful quantum computers become available.
NEAR selected the ML-DSA-65 parameter set from the NIST-standardized Module-Lattice-Based Digital Signature Algorithm, finalized in 2024. The algorithm is intended to provide quantum-resistant authentication while balancing security and computational efficiency.
NEAR Account Model Enables Seamless Key Migration
Unlike traditional elliptic-curve signatures, ML-DSA requires significantly larger public keys and digital signatures, increasing storage and processing requirements. NEAR adopted an optional migration strategy that allows existing Ed25519 and secp256k1 signing methods to remain available alongside the new quantum-resistant alternative.
The protocol's account model separates account identities from cryptographic access keys, allowing users to replace signing keys without changing account names or moving funds. This design contrasts with networks where wallet addresses are permanently tied to public keys, making large-scale cryptographic migration more complex.
Developers behind the protocol indicated that integrating the new cryptographic standard into the blockchain is only the first phase of adoption. Wallet software, application programming interfaces, hardware security modules, and user interfaces must also support the larger key sizes before quantum-resistant signing becomes widely accessible. Current hardware wallets do not yet support ML-DSA signing, and developers are continuing to work with wallet providers to expand compatibility across the ecosystem.
Automatic Shard Splitting and Gas Sponsorship Enhance Network Capacity
Beyond quantum-resistant security, the upgrade introduces automatic shard splitting, allowing the network to increase capacity dynamically by creating additional shards whenever network demand exceeds predefined thresholds without requiring governance intervention or downtime. The feature removes a manual scaling process that previously required validator coordination and community approval before expanding network capacity.
The upgrade also introduces Gas Keys, enabling applications to sponsor transaction fees through pre-funded accounts. This mechanism removes the requirement for new users to own NEAR tokens before interacting with decentralized applications, reducing a common barrier to adoption.
NEAR Deployment Contrasts with Ethereum and Bitcoin Approaches
NEAR's implementation has been deployed on an established public Layer 1 blockchain while using the same NIST-approved ML-DSA standard adopted by U.S. federal agencies for future cryptographic migration. Ethereum has outlined plans to pursue account abstraction as part of its own long-term post-quantum strategy, while Bitcoin developers have proposed migration approaches that remain under discussion. Both ecosystems continue to face architectural challenges because wallet addresses are directly linked to cryptographic keys.
FAQ
What cryptographic standard did NEAR Protocol implement in its v2.13.0 upgrade?
NEAR Protocol implemented the NIST-approved ML-DSA-65 algorithm from the Module-Lattice-Based Digital Signature Algorithm, finalized in 2024, as part of its v2.13.0 mainnet upgrade to provide quantum-resistant digital signatures.
How does NEAR's account model simplify migration to quantum-resistant cryptography?
NEAR's account model separates account identities from cryptographic access keys, allowing users to replace signing keys through a single on-chain transaction without changing account names or moving funds, unlike networks where wallet addresses are permanently tied to public keys.
What timeline did the U.S. executive order establish for post-quantum cryptography transition?
The U.S. executive order issued in June 2026 requires federal agencies to transition high-value systems to post-quantum cryptography by the end of the decade, with digital signature migration scheduled for completion by 2031.
