STRK is up about 90% in a week and 40% in a day, trading near $0.10 and pushing Starknet into the top 100 cryptocurrencies at a market value of about $768 million.
The move followed a short post from Starknet on X. “We are actively considering becoming an L1,” it said, adding that this “would enable Starknet to become the first fully quantum-resistant network, with 2027 as our target.”
Why it wants to leave
Starknet is an Ethereum layer 2, built by StarkWare. It settles on Ethereum, which means it inherits Ethereum’s security, including its weaknesses.
StarkWare chief executive Eli Ben-Sasson spelled out the problem in a thread on 8 October. A layer 2, he wrote, can only be as quantum-safe as the base layer beneath it. He said the quantum threat “may be much closer than we think,” and that Ethereum needs to move “real fast.” Becoming a layer 1 is one option if it does not.
As its own chain, Starknet could ship security upgrades on its own timetable. Its 2027 target sits two years ahead of the end-2029 date Ben-Sasson cited for Ethereum’s post-quantum work.
A head start on the cryptography
Starknet already has part of the work done. Its proofs rely on hash functions, which are considered resistant to quantum attacks. Some elliptic curve components remain, and a roadmap published on 30 June commits to replacing them.
Ben-Sasson also pointed to the pace of AI-driven maths as a second risk, echoing the call for “bunker mode” made by Ethereum researcher Justin Drake earlier in the week.
From $0.03 to $0.10
The rally caps a sharp turnaround. In April, when StarkWare cut staff to focus on revenue, STRK traded around $0.03. At about $0.10, it is now worth more than three times that.
