Bitcoin's Lightning Network gets first quantum-proof defense with PQLN
- —PQLN layers lattice-based ML-DSA signatures and ML-KEM key exchange on top of existing Lightning cryptography
- —Added cryptographic operations take 0.33 milliseconds or less per operation
- —Gossip download overhead grows roughly 10x by default, about 4x with Falcon signatures
- —Interoperability tests across all 12 mixed-node scenarios showed zero stuck payments
Why it matters: The release lowers the barrier for Lightning implementations to adopt quantum-resistant cryptography, though Bitcoin's base layer remains exposed without consensus changes.
Source: Crypto Briefing