For years Starknet has pitched itself as one of Ethereum's main scaling networks. Now its builders say they are actively considering becoming a standalone layer 1, and the token reacted fast, per Decrypt and CoinDesk.
š The news
StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson says an independent chain would let Starknet control its own security upgrades rather than waiting on Ethereum. The stated goal is to become the first fully quantum-resistant network by 2027. $STRK jumped about 20% in 24 hours to near $0.073, more than double the roughly $0.03 it traded at in April.
š Why it matters
ā¢ Ethereum's own post-quantum migration targets the end of 2029, so Starknet is betting on moving faster alone
ā¢ The idea lands in the same week that a researcher's "bunker mode" warning put quantum risk back into the headlines
ā¢ Very few layer 2 networks have ever proposed stepping away from Ethereum's security
š The numbers
ā¢ STRK up about 20% on the day and about 33% at one point, per CoinDesk
ā¢ Price roughly 2.4 times its April level
ā¢ Starknet published its quantum-safety roadmap on June 30, and some elliptic-curve parts still need replacing
āļø Bull vs bear case
Bull: a clear deadline and a distinct pitch could give the token a story beyond being one more layer 2.
Bear: nothing is approved yet, and the plan does not explain how existing apps and users would migrate. Leaving Ethereum also means giving up its settlement security and shared liquidity.
š What to watch next
ā¢ Whether a formal proposal and migration plan follow
ā¢ How Ethereum researchers respond to a major layer 2 walking away
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š” My take: This is my view, not a forecast. The quantum angle is real, but the hard part is the migration, and until there is a plan for apps and bridges, I would treat the price move as a reaction to a headline rather than to a finished decision.
š¬ Would you trust a former layer 2 more or less once it runs its own security?