The Quantus project, a Proof-of-Work blockchain built on post-quantum cryptography, launched trading for its native QTC token on October 6. The token is now available on the NEAR Protocol platform, allowing swaps against over 180 assets across 30 networks. Integration with the 1Click Swap API enables third-party applications to offer QTC without direct integration.
Quantus mainnet went live on September 9, initially allowing token acquisition only through mining. At launch, the network attracted over 7,000 GPUs, with the hashrate reaching 24 TH/s by late September. The blockchain is designed as a store of value with a maximum supply of 21 million QTC and utilizes the ML-DSA signature standard, approved by NIST in 2024.
The project addresses potential vulnerabilities in traditional ECDSA and Ed25519 signatures against quantum computing threats. While Quantus uses NEAR Intents for cross-chain swaps, the integration currently relies on threshold MPC signatures, with audits still pending. NEAR plans to transition its consensus to post-quantum signatures in the second half of 2027.
Quantus developers emphasize that the current crypto market remains largely unprepared for quantum threats, which could compromise wallets, exchanges, and bridges. Christopher Smith, head of Quantus, estimated a 50% probability of a successful quantum attack by 2028, noting that such breaches might appear indistinguishable from standard private key compromises.
