STRK Rallies 80% in a Week After Starknet Floats L1 Move, Citing Quantum Threat
Starknet's STRK token surged over 80% in a week, becoming the top-performing altcoin among the top 100, following announcements that the network is considering transitioning to a layer-1 blockchain to achieve quantum resistance.
Starknet’s STRK token surged over 80% across a seven-day stretch, securing its spot as the top-performing altcoin within the top 100 by market capitalization. On Sunday, the token reached $0.126, marking its highest price point since last December. This upward momentum kicked off immediately after the network announced on October 8 that it is “actively considering becoming an L1,” framing the transition as a pathway to establishing the first fully quantum-resistant network by 2027.
Starknet Says It Can Only Be as Safe as Ethereum
StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson posted a question to his followers regarding whether transitioning to an L1 for “post-quantum agility” represented a positive or negative strategy. His argument hinges on rollup mechanics: as a layer 2 operating on Ethereum, Starknet inherits Ethereum’s security, meaning its quantum safety is constrained by the underlying chain.
He emphasized that Ethereum must act “real fast,” noting that if it fails to do so, transitioning to an L1 remains an viable option. Operating an independent chain would enable Starknet to deploy security upgrades on its own timeline. Because its proofs already utilize hash functions—which are viewed as quantum-resistant—and given a June 30 roadmap targeting the replacement of remaining elliptic-curve components, the network is already laying the groundwork.
Ben-Sasson Borrowed an Ethereum Researcher’s Warning
Just prior to the announcement, Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake urged the crypto and blockchain sector to “calmly begin planning for ‘bunker mode.’” Drake expressed concern that artificial intelligence-driven mathematics could potentially compromise ECDSA—the signature scheme protecting Bitcoin and Ethereum wallets—even before quantum computers arrive. He suggested that in a worst-case scenario, this threat could materialize within months rather than years. His advocacy for “bunker mode” involves shifting funds to fresh addresses where public keys have never been exposed, while simultaneously advising against panic-driven haste.
Ben-Sasson reiterated this concern the following day, stressing that the combination of rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and quantum computing demands the adoption of bunker mode.
Other Ethereum L2s Are Shutting Down Instead
This proposal emerges during a difficult period for rollup networks. On October 2, Blast announced it would wind down operations because maintaining the chain outpaced its revenue, giving users until October 26 to withdraw funds back to the mainnet. Additionally, Abstract, a chain associated with Pudgy Penguins, disclosed its own shutdown early in October.
Conversely, Starknet occupies a different position, boasting roughly $168 million in total value locked. Its potential departure from Ethereum resembles a graduation rather than a closure, a narrative that STRK buyers appear to be factoring into the price.
No Vote Has Been Scheduled Yet
Despite the significant price activity, the L1 migration remains purely conceptual at this stage, lacking a formal proposal or governance vote. StarkWare’s official roadmap indicates that any protocol-level modifications to Starknet require authorization via its governance mechanism, and neither the October 8 announcement nor Ben-Sasson’s social media thread provided a timeline for a final decision.
Furthermore, operating independently would leave Starknet entirely accountable for its own security, representing a substantially heavier burden than relying on the second-largest blockchain. Although the token has pulled back from its 24-hour peak, the market is currently trading on pure intent, meaning any future governance proposal would provide traders with more concrete fundamentals to evaluate.
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