How QRL’s Project Zond Will Onboard the Next Wave of Developers – AMA with Lead Developer Kaushal
Table of Contents
Overview
In this episode of the QRL show, Ryan Malinowski and Michael Strike discuss the latest developments in the QRL ecosystem, focusing on Project Zond, which represents a significant upgrade to the QRL blockchain. They explore the transition from proof of work to a post-quantum secure proof of stake network, the cryptographic standards being implemented, and the ease of building applications on the new platform.
The conversation also covers the migration process for existing QRL coins and the opportunities for developers to create innovative solutions in a quantum-resistant environment.
What is QRL Project Zond?
To put it simply, Zond is QRL 2.0.
As Michael Strike explained, this isn’t just an update; it’s a fundamental transformation. “Zond is the code name of the next iteration of QRL… transforming us from a proof-of-work blockchain into a full-featured quantum-computer-secure proof-of-stake network with smart contract capabilities.”
This means developers can build with the full power and familiarity of Ethereum’s capabilities while safeguarding identities, votes, tokenized assets, and even NFTs in a post-quantum secure environment from the very first block. This is a critical distinction, as any blockchain that doesn’t start with post-quantum security faces a monumental and complex migration challenge down the road.
It’s important to note for the community that the QRL ticker is not changing. Zond is the code name for the upgraded blockchain, but the asset remains QRL.
What cryptographic standards will we be using?
QRL has always been at the forefront of post-quantum cryptography, and Zond continues this legacy with significant upgrades. Kaushal detailed the two primary cryptographic approaches:
- Lattice-based Cryptography: The current testnet uses Dilithium5, but the team is already in the process of upgrading to ML-DSA-87. This is a NIST-selected standard and represents the latest in lattice-based digital signatures. It’s similar to Dilithium5, but with minor improvements.
- Hash-based Cryptography: Zond will replace the stateful XMSS signatures with SPHINCS+ 256s. This is a massive leap forward for user experience.
With SPHINCS+, users and developers no longer need to track OTS (One-Time Signature) key indices or worry about exhausting their ability to sign transactions. This move to a stateless signature scheme removes a major point of friction, making the QRL network more flexible and accessible for users, developers, exchanges, and staking pools.
Is it possible to create Zond Applications now in Testnet? If so, how will they go about that
Yes, absolutely. Kaushal confirmed that it’s “much easier than it used to be before” thanks to new tools and libraries.
The key tool available right now is the Zond Chrome Extension Wallet. This wallet functions very similarly to MetaMask, exposing the necessary APIs for decentralized applications (dApps) to interact with the Zond testnet. We are also working on an IDE, a fork of RemixIDE to make building faster.
Developers can start building and testing their applications today. This provides a significant first-mover advantage, allowing them to be ready for mainnet and potentially deploy the world’s first fully post-quantum secure DeFi or NFT project.
We have repositories how you build, deploy, and compile.
How difficult will it be to convert an Ethereum smart Contract to Zond?
The process is designed to be incredibly straightforward. Since QRL’s smart contract language, Hyperion, is derived directly from Solidity, the conversion process is minimal for most contracts.
In many cases, the only required change is in the first line of the contract:
- From:
pragma solidity ^0.8.0; - To:
pragma hyperion ^x.x.x;
Developers will also need to use the QRL-provided Hyperion compiler. The only other considerations would be for contracts that use hard-coded addresses (as Zond has a different address format) or highly specific cryptographic opcodes, which are rarely used in typical dApps.
As Michael Strike summarized, “We’re really just talking about essentially in most cases, a few lines of code.”
Where can developers get the testnet chrome extension?
The Zond Chrome Extension Wallet is available in the QRL GitHub repositories. The repositories include full instructions on how to build the extension yourself or download a pre-compiled release.
We have also provided documentation and examples to guide developers on how to make calls to the wallet, ensuring a smooth integration process for their dApps.
Will existing coins be migrated over, what does that process look like?
This migration process is still in draft form, but here’s the outline we’re considering:
- Snapshot: At a predetermined block height, a final snapshot of the current proof-of-work QRL chain will be taken. From that snapshot we’ll know how much quanta, tokens, and other data will be there.
- Migration Contract: A special smart contract will be deployed on the Zond mainnet. This contract will contain all the balance data from the snapshot (for both regular and multi-sig wallets) and a record of used OTS indeces.
- User-Initiated Claim: Using a simple UI, a user will provide their new Zond wallet address and sign a message with their existing XMSS address from previous.
- Automated Transfer: The smart contract will verify the signature and automatically transfer the user’s full balance of Quanta and tokens to their new Zond address.
Just to clarify, it’s still an idea, but we still need to do some tests and the implementation.
The key benefit here is that the process is entirely automated and trustless. Users can migrate their funds anytime, anywhere, without needing to contact a third party.
With QRL Project Zond, what can people build on it?
As Kaushal put it, “developers can build anything they want, whatever they have built on Ethereum.” The possibilities include:
- Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs)
- Lending and Borrowing Platforms
- NFT Marketplaces and Mints
- Layer 2 Scaling Solutions
- Staking Pools
- Atomic Swap Protocols
- Decentralized Identity Solutions
Michael Strike emphasized the unique value proposition: “Why not just drop it on the QRL Zond and be able to use the Post-Quantum Secure stamp?” For any existing Ethereum project, porting to Zond is an opportunity to future-proof their application and offer users unparalleled security.
If developers run into issues or have questions, the team is readily available for help on Discord, Twitter, Telegram, and via email.
Closing: Michael Strike’s closing thoughts on the direction he believes the entire industry is headed regarding the quantum threat
Michael closed the AMA with a powerful perspective on the urgency of the quantum threat. He stressed that this is not about spreading fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD), but about practical preparation for an inevitable technological shift.
He highlighted several key points:
- The Migration Problem: For legacy blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum, migrating to post-quantum security is a monumental task that will likely require manual action from every single wallet holder.
- The Threat is a Threat: The value of a cryptocurrency could be damaged by the credible rumor of a cryptographically relevant quantum computer, long before one is actually used.
- The World is Already Moving: Governments and major corporations are not waiting. NIST has already selected post-quantum standards, and government agencies are moving up their transition deadlines from 2035 to as early as 2030.
- AI as an Accelerator: Advances in AI are solving complex engineering problems at an unprecedented rate, which will only speed up the timeline for quantum development.
“You don’t even need to believe in quantum computing as a thing,” Michael concluded, “because the standards are already changing.” The shift is happening, and QRL Zond is positioned to be the secure foundation for the next generation of blockchain technology.
