TL;DR
Starknet opened a seven-day, non-binding poll asking STRK holders whether the network should research becoming an independent post-quantum Layer 1.
A “Yes” result would begin further research and proposals, while “No” would keep post-quantum development focused on Starknet’s existing Ethereum Layer 2 architecture.
STRK would remain the network token and Ethereum bridges would stay open regardless of the path, while no migration timeline or finalized L1 design has been announced.
Starknet has opened a seven-day governance poll asking STRK holders whether the network should explore becoming an independent post-quantum Layer 1 rather than remaining an Ethereum Layer 2. The Snapshot proposal is non-binding and cannot authorize a migration by itself. A “Yes” vote would start further research and additional proposals, not immediately move Starknet away from Ethereum. The poll follows StarkWare’s earlier discussion of greater security independence and preserves STRK as the network token regardless of the eventual path, with no replacement token planned.
Vote Tests Appetite for Post-Quantum Independence
The security case centers on dependencies Starknet does not fully control today. Its hash-based STARK proof system and native account abstraction already provide foundations for post-quantum migration, while the proposal says user accounts can adopt post-quantum signatures without a protocol upgrade. Ethereum-linked components such as the bridge and data availability remain tied to Ethereum’s own security timeline. An independent L1 would remove those external dependencies and give Starknet more direct control over when remaining cryptographic surfaces are upgraded. That argument builds on StarkWare’s post-quantum roadmap for Starknet , focused on replacing remaining elliptic-curve assumptions across the stack.
The vote does not set a timeline for an independent chain, define a new consensus design or propose issuing another token. The governance discussion explicitly says STRK would remain the token and Ethereum-to-Starknet bridges would stay open whichever direction the network ultimately takes. The proposal therefore tests community appetite for researching architectural independence rather than asking holders to approve a completed L1 design. That distinction matters after Starknet’s earlier announcement that it was considering an L1 , which triggered market attention before any governance process had begun, leaving implementation details unresolved.
The outcome determines only the next research step. If “Yes” wins, Starknet will begin a research effort that could lead to more detailed proposals and polls. A “No” result would keep post-quantum work focused on the existing Layer 2 architecture, while a neutral result would leave the discussion open until unresolved questions receive answers. Results will become visible when the seven-day poll closes. The poll turns Starknet’s post-quantum debate into a governance process while leaving any actual transition contingent on future technical work and subsequent votes. The decision also highlights the broader post-quantum migration challenge for blockchains , where security planning must precede implementation long before a cryptographic threat becomes practical.
