Key facts
- Zcash developers plan to add post-quantum signature opcodes in January.
- The upgrades aim to protect transparent transactions from future quantum attacks.
- Approximately 70% of total issued ZEC is held in the transparent pool.
- ZEC price increased by over 11% in the past 24 hours.
- Trading volume for ZEC rose by 80% in the last 24 hours.
Zcash developers are targeting January to implement post-quantum signature opcodes, a move designed to protect transparent transactions from potential future quantum computing attacks. This upgrade aims to prevent attackers from forging transaction approvals by working backward from public keys visible on the blockchain.
The proposal will initially focus on transparent payments, which currently hold approximately 11.96 million ZEC, representing about 70% of the total issued ZEC. Zakura, a Zcash full-node implementation, is leading this development. Separate development will be required for post-quantum protection of the privacy pool.
This initiative follows warnings from researchers about the growing threat of quantum and AI-assisted attacks on cryptocurrency security. The news prompted a significant market reaction, with the price of ZEC surging over 11% in the past 24 hours, accompanied by an 80% increase in trading volume. Additionally, Zcash shielded transactions have reached a four-year high, and the Grayscale Zcash ETF has seen substantial inflows.