Tezos Launches TzEL Testnet for Post-Quantum Private Payments

Overview

• TzEL, which went live on testnet Thursday, pilots private payments using post‑quantum cryptography and zk‑STARK zero‑knowledge proofs.
• The system targets “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks by keeping transaction details and encrypted memos out of reach of future quantum computers.
• Each proof is about 300KB, and Tezos points to its Data Availability Layer to hold those proofs so consensus nodes do not take on extra load.
• Tezos says it is also adding post‑quantum signature support for user accounts as part of ongoing work to harden the network.
• The rollout lands in a live debate over risk timing, with Project Eleven warning of a possible 2030 “Q‑Day,” Bernstein urging a three‑to‑five‑year transition, and critics like Adam Back arguing the danger is decades away.