BNB Chain releases a research report exploring the migration path of BSC to post-quantum cryptography

Author: BNB Chain

The globally leading Layer1 blockchain ecosystem BNB Chain has released a new research report aimed at assessing how BNB Smart Chain will migrate its core cryptographic system to post-quantum (quantum-resistant) alternatives in the future. The report explores the specific performance implications and implementation paths of replacing traditional blockchain cryptography with quantum-resistant methods, including the use of ML-DSA-44 as a transaction signing scheme and the use of pqSTARK aggregated validator consensus signatures.

Although quantum computing has not yet been able to practically break the cryptography of production-grade blockchains in real-world systems, this research reflects a forward-looking approach to infrastructure resilience and long-term network security. The report evaluates several core areas of the BSC technology stack, including:

• Post-quantum transaction signing schemes
• Validator signature aggregation
• Transaction verification processes
• Public key storage schemes
• Cross-regional network performance under increased data loads

One of the key findings is that, technically, achieving post-quantum readiness is currently feasible, but significant trade-offs must be made in terms of scalability. Test data shows:

• Transaction size increased from about 110 bytes to about 2.5 kilobytes
• Block size increased from about 110 kilobytes to about 2 megabytes
• TPS for native transfers decreased from 4,973 to 2,997

The report points out that the main performance bottleneck is not the signature verification itself, but rather the increase in transaction and block size, which leads to higher cross-regional network transmission overhead.

Meanwhile, pqSTARK aggregation technology has proven to remain efficient. Validator signatures are compressed at a ratio of about 43:1, which helps keep the overhead of the consensus layer manageable despite the increase in signature size.

The report also notes that several areas, including P2P handshakes and KZG commitments, have post-quantum alternatives that were not within the scope of this assessment. The migration of these areas requires broader ecological coordination and further research.

BNB Chain emphasizes that this work aims to conduct research and evaluative exploration, rather than addressing any imminent security threats. The full report can be accessed by clicking here.

About BNB Chain

BNB Chain is one of the largest and most active blockchain ecosystems in the world, supported by a global community of developers and users. With high throughput, low transaction costs, and full EVM compatibility, BNB Chain provides scalable application support for finance, gaming, and the broader Web3 economy.