One of the aspects of Quip Network that caught my attention is its focus on preparing blockchain infrastructure for the quantum era instead of waiting until quantum computers become a real threat.
The recent work around hybrid signatures is particularly interesting.
By combining traditional cryptographic algorithms with post quantum signature schemes, hybrid signatures can provide compatibility with today’s infrastructure while gradually introducing quantum-resistant security.
Potential advantages include:
A smoother migration path toward post quantum cryptography.
Reduced risk during the transition period.
Better interoperability with existing blockchain ecosystems.
More confidence for developers building long term decentralized applications.
I’m also interested in how this approach could integrate with Quip’s broader roadmap, including Substrate compatibility, validator security, and future quantum networking research.
Discussion
Do you think hybrid signatures should become the default standard before fully post quantum cryptography is adopted?
What challenges do you see regarding performance, signature size, or verification costs?
How important is backward compatibility for encouraging blockchain projects to migrate toward post-quantum security?
I’d love to hear what other community members think about Quip Network’s approach and whether hybrid cryptography is the right path for the next generation of blockchain infrastructure.
Hybrid signatures feel like a practical bridge to post-quantum security, balancing stronger protection with the need for backward compatibility during the transition.
Hybrid signatures seem like the most practical path forward, allowing ecosystems to strengthen security today without sacrificing compatibility during the transition.
Most blockchains today use classical signatures (ECDSA, Ed25519). If Quip switched directly to post-quantum signatures (such as Dilithium, Falcon, or SPHINCS+), it would break compatibility with existing wallets and tooling. Hybrid Signatures allow the combination of both:
Classical signatures (for compatibility with current wallets and infrastructure)
Post-quantum signatures (to defend against quantum computing threats)
This enables Quip to upgrade without disrupting the existing ecosystem.
Protection Against Both Threat Models
If a post-quantum algorithm is broken in the future, the classical signature still provides protection.
If quantum computers become powerful enough, the post-quantum signature layer will secure the system.
This is a defense-in-depth approach that the post-quantum cryptography community generally recommends.
In general I think non-hybrid signatures should be used sparingly for now until we have a lot more evidence and maturity from the existing systems, which is the basis for the hybrid signatures library we are building.
I have open comments on the IETF TLS working group which explains it a bit more:
That seems like a sensible approach Hybrid signatures offer a practical transition path instead of asking the entire ecosystem to trust newer algorithms overnight Security is rarely about choosing the newest option its about reducing risk while gathering real world evidence Ill definitely check out your IETF comments thanks for sharing them