Vitalik Buterin presents the "proof of abandonment" for a secure Ethereum against quantum computing

Source: Yellow Original Title: Vitalik Buterin presents “Proof of Abandonment” for secure Ethereum against quantum computing

Original Link: https://yellow.com/es/news/vitalik-buterin-presenta-la-prueba-de-abandono-para-un-ethereum-seguro-ante-la-computaciQuantum Computing Ethereum (ETH), co-founder Vitalik Buterin, introduced a technical framework for the blockchain to operate securely even if all major developers disappear.

In a post on X dated January 12, Buterin introduced the “proof of abandonment” as a reference to assess whether Ethereum can operate independently without continuous protocol updates.

The vision requires Ethereum to reach a state where the base layer can “fossilize” and remain useful and secure for decades.

What happened

Buterin emphasized quantum resistance as the top priority, arguing that the protocol should achieve cryptographic security for 100 years.

He described seven technical milestones including full quantum resistance, scalability to thousands of transactions per second via ZK-EVM and PeerDAS, state management, account abstraction, and gas prices resistant to denial-of-service attacks.

The network must maintain a decentralized proof-of-stake economy and censorship-resistant block construction.

Buterin compared the goal to owning a hammer: once acquired, it functions independently of the manufacturer.

Why it matters

The framework represents a shift from continuous updates toward fundamental protocol finality.

Buterin warned against delaying secure cryptography against quantum computing for short-term efficiency gains, noting that protocols cannot afford last-minute security transitions.

PeerDAS data availability sampling is already running on the mainnet, while ZK-EVMs have reached the alpha phase with production-quality performance.

Future changes should be made through parameter adjustments rather than total protocol revisions, similar to how validators currently vote on gas limits.

Buterin emphasized that applications requiring minimized trusted infrastructure cannot operate on a base layer dependent on provider updates.