Quantum computing has been one of crypto’s growing headaches for years. While powerful quantum computers are not yet capable of breaking major blockchain networks, the industry is already looking at how to protect its infrastructure before that becomes a real problem.
Now, a new partnership between LayerZero and a16z crypto is taking that fight into securing zero-knowledge technology.
The interoperability company has built a new cryptographic tool called Akita. Using best math, it can make zero-knowledge infrastructure more resistant to future quantum attacks.
The bigger question, however, is whether crypto can become quantum-safe without making its infrastructure slower and more expensive. That is where LayerZero says Akita could make a difference.
In case you missed it: Akita, the first step toward a quantum-secure Zero. https://t.co/arMZXOJVwR
— LayerZero (@LayerZero_Core) September 10, 2026
What is LayerZero’s New Quantum tool Akita?
Akita is basically a new security component for ZK systems.
Zero-knowledge technology allows a system to prove that a particular calculation was done correctly without revealing all the information behind it. The technology has become crypto’s best bet to woe wall street which cares about privacy the most. CoinGape explored this in its latest “Wall Street Race: Who Is Building Blockchain Privacy for Institutions?”.
But the ZK system still needs cryptography to create and verify those proofs.
As per its official blog, Akita is designed to handle an important part of that process. ZK Systems produce a small proof saying, “Yes, this calculation was done correctly.”
Akita is one of the important pieces inside that machine that can help create and secure that proof. The problem is that today’s cryptography may eventually be vulnerable to powerful quantum computers.
So LayerZero has built Akita using lattice-based cryptography, a type of mathematics that is being used for the next generation of post-quantum security.
In simple terms, Akita is LayerZero’s attempt to make the machinery behind ZK proofs ready for the quantum era.
The launch comes as the U.S. has also been stepping up its push into quantum computing,CoinGape recently reported on the US signing new quantum computing orders and the potential Bitcoin risk.
a16z Becomes First to Deploy Akita
Interestingly, Akita’s first major deployment is already happening through its partnership with a16z crypto. The venture firm has adopted Akita into Jolt, its zero-knowledge virtual machine, creating a new version called Lattice Jolt.
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Jolt is basically the system that uses ZK proofs to show that a computation was done correctly. By putting Akita into Jolt, a16z is giving the system a quantum-resistant layer. That is by making the proofs smaller and the proving process faster.
According to LayerZero, Akita can bring proof sizes down to around 65–80 KB, compared with 200 KB or more for some existing post-quantum approaches. It can also make proving 2–3 times faster and cut memory usage by roughly half.
Introducing Lattice Jolt ⚡️
A new version of our open-source zkVM (zero-knowledge virtual machine): faster and post-quantum, with compact proofs built on lattice-based cryptography.
The key unlock is Akita, a new polynomial commitment scheme. @LayerZero_Core led its development… https://t.co/lplkHVbU6J
— a16z crypto (@a16zcrypto) September 9, 2026
The quantum threat may still look like a problem for the future, but crypto is already starting to prepare for it. Just this week, IonQ published a study estimating that a future 20,000-qubit quantum computer could theoretically break Bitcoin’s secp256k1 cryptography in under 26 days. Ethereum developers, meanwhile, are targeting 2029 for a quantum-resistant base layer. Bitcoin developers are also exploring post-quantum upgrades.
That makes projects like Akita less about preparing for a threat that is already here and more about making sure crypto’s infrastructure is ready before it is.
Sneha Agrawal 
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