Tezos rolls out TzEL testnet to shield blockchain payments from future quantum decryption threats, as co-founder criticizes industry complacency.
Tezos launched TzEL, a post-quantum privacy system on testnet, designed to protect encrypted blockchain transactions from potential future decryption attacks. The tool targets so-called ‘harvest now, decrypt later’ threats, where data is collected today for decryption once quantum computing advances sufficiently.
The move follows warnings from Tezos co-founder Arthur Breitman, who accused parts of the crypto industry, particularly within Bitcoin, of dismissing quantum risks as conspiracy theories. Breitman criticized what he called ‘half-baked’ quantum theories in the Bitcoin community, arguing that established physics supports the need for preemptive action.
While practical quantum computers capable of breaking modern cryptography do not yet exist, Breitman emphasized the urgency of preparing blockchain networks for future threats. The debate centers on whether networks should upgrade now or risk being vulnerable to quantum attacks later.