BNB Chain completed a post-quantum security test using ML-DSA-44 encryption, but network speed dropped nearly 40% during high-traffic conditions.
BNB Chain has completed a major post-quantum security test as blockchain developers race to prepare networks for future quantum computing threats. However, while the test successfully strengthened security protections, it also created a major performance problem after network transaction speed dropped by nearly 40% during testing.
BNB Chain recently published its “BSC Post-Quantum Cryptography Migration Report,” explaining how the network tested new quantum-resistant security systems across transaction signing and validator operations.
The blockchain replaced its existing ECDSA encryption system with ML-DSA-44, also known as Dilithium, while also testing pqSTARK technology for validator consensus aggregation.
The goal behind the project is simple, prepare the network before quantum computers become powerful enough to threaten current blockchain security systems.
According to the report, the upgrade remained compatible with existing wallets, RPC systems, SDKs, and blockchain addresses. This means users would not need to completely rebuild their systems if the network eventually moves toward a full migration.
That compatibility is considered very important because large blockchain ecosystems depend on thousands of applications, exchanges, wallets, and infrastructure providers already connected to the network.
Most major blockchains today still use cryptographic systems like ECDSA and BLS12-381 to secure wallets and transactions.
However, future quantum computers could potentially break those systems using advanced technologies such as Shor’s algorithm. If that happens, hackers could theoretically forge transaction signatures, steal funds, or attack blockchain consensus systems.
Although experts say quantum computers are not yet powerful enough to break modern production blockchains, developers believe preparation must begin years before the threat becomes real.
BNB Chain said its latest test was designed around cryptographic standards recently approved by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology under the FIPS 204 framework.
Even though the test successfully proved that post-quantum security upgrades are technically possible, the network also faced major performance problems.
According to BNB Chain’s report, transaction signature size jumped from around 65 bytes to nearly 2,420 bytes after switching to the new cryptographic system.
At the same time, average transaction size increased from roughly 110 bytes to almost 2.5KB. That increase created much heavier pressure on network bandwidth and transaction propagation speeds across different regions.
As a result, transaction speed reportedly fell between 40% and 50% during high-traffic testing conditions.
The results show that while quantum-resistant security may protect future blockchains, it could also make networks slower and more expensive if scalability issues are not solved properly.
Despite the large speed drop, BNB Chain said the validator consensus system remained relatively stable during testing.
The pqSTARK aggregation system reportedly continued to deliver efficient signature compression performance even under larger data loads.
According to the report, the main issue was not validator failure or consensus breakdown. Instead, the biggest challenge came from handling the much larger transaction data created by the new cryptographic system.
BNB Chain also noted that post-quantum upgrades are not simple software replacements because large blockchain ecosystems depend on existing wallets, exchanges, custodians, developer tools, and applications already connected to the network.
Because of that, maintaining compatibility became one of the most important goals during the test.
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