Starknet’s community has backed research into an independent, quantum-resistant blockchain, with 93.52% of voting power supporting a non-binding poll. The result opens a technical review rather than authorising a departure from Ethereum, leaving security design and a separate governance decision ahead.
A research mandate leaves the network unchanged
Starknet voters supported exploring an independent blockchain, but the network will continue operating as an Ethereum layer-2, according to Cointelegraph. An actual transition would need a separate, binding governance vote. The immediate development is therefore permission to investigate a different architecture, not approval to deploy it.
Cointelegraph reported that the poll attracted about 3,200 votes and that 93.52% of voting power supported the proposal. StarkWare described participation as the highest in Starknet’s governance history and said it did not vote, leaving the decision to the community.
The distinction between votes and voting power matters when interpreting that result. The reported percentage measures support by governance weight, rather than establishing that the same percentage of individual participants backed the proposal. Neither measure, by itself, resolves the technical questions facing an independent network.
Ethereum dependence is the security issue under review
According to Cointelegraph, StarkWare introduced the possibility on Oct. 8 because of concerns about relying on Ethereum for security. According to Cointelegraph, Starknet’s programmable accounts can accommodate post-quantum signatures, and the network’s STARK proofs rely on hashes. Cointelegraph reported that Ethereum’s upgrade timetable still governs dependencies affecting Starknet’s data availability infrastructure and bridge.
That combination explains why the proposal goes beyond changing account signatures. A blockchain’s security depends on the infrastructure connecting its components as well as the cryptography used within them. Research into independence must therefore address the Ethereum-dependent parts of Starknet, rather than treating existing proof technology as a complete answer.
Cointelegraph also reported that StarkWare presented a quantum-resistance roadmap in June covering cryptographic changes, smart-contract migration and infrastructure dependent on Ethereum. The proposed independent chain extends that security discussion into the network’s underlying architecture.
The timetable is ambitious, while testing remains experimental
StarkWare and the Starknet Foundation have formed a working group to study the transition and prepare more detailed technical proposals, Cointelegraph reported. Chief executive Eli Ben-Sasson told the outlet that work on a whitepaper was beginning, with a draft intended for public review in November.
Ben-Sasson has set a 2027 objective for Starknet’s quantum resistance, according to Cointelegraph. His comparison with Ethereum’s projected 2029 timetable is StarkWare’s stated rationale for urgency, not an independently established deadline for either network.
StarkWare’s Quantum Hub says experimental technology intended to resist future quantum attacks has processed a transaction on Starknet’s live network, Cointelegraph reported. The technology has not yet received a security audit. That qualification separates a reported technical demonstration from evidence of readiness for broader deployment.
The reports agree on research, with different levels of detail
The Defiant highlighted the 93.52% support figure and explicitly distinguished the non-binding result from approval for a network transition. Its summary also described November as the month in which StarkWare hopes to publish a draft whitepaper.
The Block likewise characterised the outcome as community backing for research into an independent post-quantum blockchain, with a draft expected in November. Those accounts align on the immediate outcome, while Cointelegraph adds the participation figures, governance requirements and technical dependencies.
The timing language deserves care. A draft that StarkWare hopes to release is a research milestone, not a committed launch date. Across the reports, the common development is support for examining independence; the detailed account makes clear that implementation would require another governance decision.
Token continuity does not settle infrastructure design
The governance proposal says STRK would remain the native token and that no replacement token is planned, according to Cointelegraph. It also says existing connections between Starknet and Ethereum would stay open. These are proposed continuity commitments alongside a potentially substantial architectural change.
Keeping a bridge available and retaining Ethereum’s role in network security are different matters. The former concerns connectivity, while the latter concerns the dependencies that motivated the research. The whitepaper can clarify how the proposal would preserve those connections while addressing the security concerns StarkWare has identified.
The distinction also matters for project teams following new Ethereum token listings: an independent Starknet proposal is not itself a change to their own network arrangements. DefiLlama places Ethereum’s DeFi total value locked at $49.68 billion, illustrating the scale of the surrounding ecosystem without measuring Starknet-specific exposure to a possible transition.
The whitepaper and binding vote are the next checkpoints
The next stated milestone is the draft whitepaper targeted for November. Its useful contribution would be to turn the broad ambition of quantum-resistant independence into technical proposals that can be examined publicly. The working group’s remit makes infrastructure design central to that review.
Security assessment is another issue to follow because the reported live-network experiment remains unaudited. An audit and a demonstration serve different purposes: a demonstration shows an implementation operating, while an audit examines its security properties. The reported transaction should be understood within that distinction.
Governance remains the decisive implementation checkpoint. The current poll supports research, and a separate binding vote would be necessary for the actual shift, Cointelegraph reported. Until that process advances, Starknet’s operating status remains that of an Ethereum layer-2.
Market snapshot
| Asset | Price | 24h | 7d | Market cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | $81,351 | -0.1% | -0.4% | $1.64 trillion |
| Ethereum (ETH) | $2,397 | +0.1% | -2.1% | $292.84 billion |
CoinGecko data as of 2026-10-23 (UTC); DeFi TVL from DefiLlama: Ethereum $49.68 billion.
On Coinvote
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FAQ
Did Starknet vote to leave Ethereum?
The community supported research into an independent, quantum-resistant blockchain through a non-binding poll. Cointelegraph reported that a transition would require a separate binding vote and that Starknet continues operating as an Ethereum layer-2.
Would an independent Starknet require a new token?
According to Cointelegraph, the governance proposal retains STRK as the native token and does not plan a new token. It also says existing bridges connecting Starknet with Ethereum would remain open.
When is Starknet’s post-quantum whitepaper expected?
StarkWare hopes to release a draft for public review in November, according to Cointelegraph and The Defiant. That research milestone is distinct from authorisation or deployment of an independent network.
Sources
- The Defiant: Starknet Poll Backs Post-Quantum Layer 1 Research With 93.52% Support (2026-10-22)
- Cointelegraph: Starknet voters back research into life beyond Ethereum (2026-10-22)
- The Block: Starknet community overwhelmingly backs research into becoming an independent post-quantum Layer 1 (2026-10-22)
- CoinGecko (market data), DefiLlama (TVL), Coinvote listing and vote data
Written by the Coinvote news desk from reporting by The Defiant, Cointelegraph and The Block. Not financial advice.
