Ethereum Drops Poseidon for SHA or BLAKE in Quantum Security Shift
Ethereum Foundation Drops Poseidon for SHA or BLAKE in Major Post-Quantum Security Shift
The Ethereum Foundation is changing course on a major part of its long-term cryptographic strategy, moving away from the Poseidon hash function and toward established alternatives such as SHA or BLAKE.
Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake announced the shift on Aug. 13, describing it as an important milestone in Ethereum’s effort to prepare for a future in which quantum computing could threaten some of today’s cryptographic systems.
The development was also highlighted by Cointelegraph on X, which reported that the Ethereum Foundation is dropping Poseidon in favor of SHA or BLAKE hashes. The move puts greater emphasis on established cryptographic primitives as Ethereum continues developing its long-term post-quantum security architecture.
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| Source: XPost |
Ethereum Moves Away From Poseidon
Poseidon was developed as a hash function optimized for use with zero-knowledge proof systems, particularly SNARKs. Its design made it attractive for blockchain applications because specialized hash functions could significantly reduce the computational burden involved in generating cryptographic proofs.
For years, Ethereum researchers explored how SNARK-friendly hash functions could support a more efficient and scalable blockchain architecture. Poseidon became one of the most prominent choices in that research.
However, advances in zero-knowledge proof technology have changed the equation.
Drake said newer proof systems can process conventional cryptographic hashes more efficiently than was previously possible. That means Ethereum may no longer need to rely as heavily on a specialized hash function simply to achieve acceptable performance inside SNARKs.
The result is a potentially important simplification of Ethereum’s future cryptographic design.
Why SHA and BLAKE Matter
SHA and BLAKE belong to a broader category of established cryptographic hash functions that have been studied extensively for years.
SHA-2, for example, is already widely used across modern computing, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure. BLAKE-based algorithms have also gained significant attention for their performance and security characteristics.
For Ethereum, using established hash functions could offer an important advantage: a simpler security model based on primitives that have already received extensive scrutiny.
The shift is particularly relevant to the Ethereum Foundation’s post-quantum strategy.
Quantum computers capable of breaking widely used public-key cryptography remain a future threat rather than a present-day reality. But blockchain networks are designed to operate for decades, making long-term cryptographic planning increasingly important.
Ethereum developers therefore have to consider not only whether a cryptographic system is secure today, but whether it can remain dependable as computing technology changes.
Breakthroughs in SNARK Technology Changed the Calculation
The decision to move away from Poseidon is closely connected to progress in zero-knowledge proof systems.
Traditional SNARK designs often operated over large prime fields, which could make the low-level operations required by conventional hash functions expensive to prove.
Newer approaches based on binary fields have changed that balance.
Research involving systems such as Binius and Flock has demonstrated that conventional hashes can be handled much more efficiently inside modern proof systems. According to information surrounding Drake’s announcement, these advances can allow proof systems to process roughly one million traditional hash calls per second on a laptop, although this remains substantially slower than native computation.
The important point is not simply raw speed.
If conventional hashes can now be incorporated into efficient proof systems without an unacceptable performance penalty, Ethereum gains the opportunity to use cryptographic primitives that are more familiar, extensively tested and easier to reason about.
That could ultimately reduce the complexity of Ethereum’s security architecture.
What This Means for Ethereum’s Quantum Security
Ethereum’s post-quantum roadmap is focused on building a network that can remain secure even as quantum computing develops.
Hash functions are an important component of that strategy because they are generally considered more resistant to quantum attacks than some forms of public-key cryptography. While quantum algorithms such as Shor’s algorithm pose serious challenges to traditional public-key systems, the security impact on cryptographic hashing is significantly different.
That does not mean simply switching from Poseidon to SHA or BLAKE makes Ethereum quantum-proof overnight.
Instead, the change represents one part of a much larger effort to redesign Ethereum’s infrastructure around stronger long-term cryptographic assumptions.
The Ethereum Foundation has been researching SNARK-friendly cryptography for years. Drake’s announcement suggests that some of the assumptions behind that research are now being reconsidered as proof technology improves.
Lean Ethereum Becomes a Key Focus
The cryptographic change is also connected to Ethereum’s broader vision for a more efficient and lightweight protocol.
One important component of that roadmap is leanVM, a system intended to make Ethereum easier to verify and potentially reduce the complexity required to operate and validate the network.
Current plans reportedly target a production-grade version of leanVM in 2027, with broader deployments across Ethereum’s consensus, data and execution layers potentially following in 2028.
Those dates should be viewed as development targets rather than guaranteed deadlines.
Still, the direction is significant. By combining more efficient proof systems with established cryptographic primitives, Ethereum researchers are attempting to create infrastructure that is easier to verify, more resilient and better suited to long-term scaling.
Poseidon Is Not Simply Disappearing
The Ethereum Foundation’s decision should not be interpreted as an immediate removal of Poseidon from every part of the Ethereum ecosystem.
Poseidon is already used or considered in various zero-knowledge applications, rollups and other blockchain systems. The announcement is primarily about the Foundation’s future direction for Ethereum’s Layer 1 and its longer-term architecture.
Existing applications that rely on Poseidon are therefore not automatically affected by the change.
Instead, the announcement signals a shift in what Ethereum researchers believe should form the cryptographic foundation of future protocol upgrades.
A Broader Shift Toward Simpler Cryptography
The decision illustrates a broader trend in blockchain development: newer technology does not always mean adopting more complicated cryptographic primitives.
For Ethereum, advances in proof systems may have made it possible to return to more conventional hashing algorithms without sacrificing the efficiency required by modern zero-knowledge applications.
That could be strategically valuable.
A cryptographic system with fewer specialized assumptions can potentially make auditing, implementation and long-term security analysis easier. It may also allow Ethereum to benefit from decades of research and testing surrounding established hash functions.
As the network prepares for an increasingly sophisticated computing environment, those advantages could become more important.
Ethereum’s transition away from Poseidon is therefore more than a technical change to a hash function. It represents a broader rethink of how the network should balance performance, complexity and security in the post-quantum era.
For Ethereum, the goal is clear: build a cryptographic foundation that can withstand future threats while keeping the protocol as efficient and verifiable as possible.
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Ethan Collins is a passionate crypto journalist and blockchain enthusiast, always on the hunt for the latest trends shaking up the digital finance world. With a knack for turning complex blockchain developments into engaging, easy-to-understand stories, he keeps readers ahead of the curve in the fast-paced crypto universe. Whether it’s Bitcoin, Ethereum, or emerging altcoins, Ethan dives deep into the markets to uncover insights, rumors, and opportunities that matter to crypto fans everywhere.
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