Optimism (OP) is moving to future-proof its ecosystem against the long-term threat of quantum computing while simultaneously overhauling its tokenomics.
In a bold strategic pivot, the Layer-2 scaling network has committed to a 10-year roadmap to deprecate current ECDSA cryptography by 2036. This proactive stance ensures that the “Superchain,” the interconnected network of chains including Base and World Chain, remains resilient against potential quantum-scale attacks on digital signatures.
The roadmap, spearheaded by OP Labs, aims to migrate Externally Owned Accounts (EOAs) to post-quantum smart contract accounts. Leveraging account abstraction and EIP-7702, the network aims to swap signature schemes via hard forks without forcing users to abandon their existing balances.
This coordination-heavy effort will eventually require sequencers and the Ethereum base layer to transition toward post-quantum algorithms, ensuring that the security inherited from the mainnet remains robust.
Optimism Proposes Revenue-Backed Buybacks for OP Token
While the technical roadmap looks a decade ahead, the immediate focus of the Optimism Collective is a high-stakes governance vote ending January 28, 2026.
The proposal seeks to allocate 50% of Superchain revenue toward monthly OP token buybacks. Currently, the Superchain captures over 60% of the Layer-2 fee market share, generating substantial ETH revenue from sequencers.
By redirecting these flows, proponents argue that the OP token will transition from a “pure governance” asset into one tightly aligned with the network’s actual economic activity.
The buyback initiative comes as the OP token trades near $0.30, following a volatile 2025. If approved, the program is slated to begin in February 2026, creating a structural demand layer that scales with the Superchain’s growth.
With popular protocols like Uniswap and Synthetix deeply integrated, the network is betting that this combination of advanced quantum-readiness and aggressive revenue-linking tokenomics will solidify its position as the premier scaling solution for the Ethereum ecosystem.
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