$NEAR is setting its sights on a much bigger milestone — quantum-safe validator consensus by the end of 2027.

The network has already taken an important step. In July, $NEAR shipped NIST-approved post-quantum (PQ) signing on mainnet, allowing users to rotate their keys in a single transaction — without creating a new account or moving their funds.

But the bigger challenge is still ahead. 👀

NEXT TARGET: QUANTUM-SAFE CONSENSUS

The focus is now shifting from protecting individual accounts to protecting the validator consensus layer itself.

According to the team, currently available post-quantum cryptography can still be too computationally heavy for validator operations. That makes the transition more complex, with late 2027 being discussed as a directional target rather than a fixed deadline.

And there’s another major piece of the puzzle:

QUANTUM-SAFE MPC / THRESHOLD SIGNING

$NEAR’s Chain Signatures operate across 30+ chains, making quantum-safe multi-party computation and threshold signing another significant technical challenge.

A suitable cryptographic candidate for this part has not yet been finalized, so there is still plenty of development ahead.

Meanwhile, Ledger and other wallet providers are being prepared for the larger keys and new cryptographic requirements that could come with the transition.

🌐 THE BIGGER PICTURE

$NEAR isn’t the only ecosystem looking at this threat. Ethereum, XRP Ledger, and Solana are also exploring their own paths toward quantum resistance.

The quantum-security race is moving from theory toward real infrastructure development.

For $NEAR, the next few years could be about upgrading the network layer by layer — from user signatures → validator consensus → cross-chain Chain Signatures.

Important: Late 2027 is a directional target, not a guaranteed or locked launch date.

👀 Watch: Quantum-safe consensus progress + MPC/threshold signing + wallet compatibility + broader ecosystem adoption.

The quantum era may still be ahead, but the preparation has already started.

DYOR. Stay focused. Stay disciplined. 🤝