Starknet weighs leaving Ethereum as the layer-2 era it was built for unravels

Starknet’s STRK holders are voting on a non-binding poll to decide whether the Ethereum layer-2 network should consider abandoning that designation to become an independent layer-1 chain.

What is Starknet voting on?

The seven-day voting process that Starknet initiated on October 15 to close on October 22 gives STRK holders three options:

• A “Yes” outcome only greenlights continuing research on the proposal to leave Ethereum and start its own L1. It does not immediately trigger the moving process.
• Holders can reject the proposal outright.
• The third option agrees to wait on making a decision pending more detail.

The firm behind Starknet, StarkWare, has not committed to any date for a potential transition. Any such decision will still require additional proposals and governance votes.

Why is StarkWare considering leaving Ethereum?

The decision to initiate a vote to consider leaving Ethereum comes down to the polarizing issue of quantum security.

StarkWare CEO Eli Ben-Sasson argues that as a layer-2, Starknet relies entirely on Ethereum’s quantum readiness, and the L1’s preparedness speed has not impressed Ben-Sasson, who is looking for “lightning speed” to address the urgent need of “quantum-proofing crypto.”

Starknet wants to be the “first fully quantum-resistant network” by 2027, while Ethereum developers are targeting initial protocol-level protections by 2029. Per StarkWare’s June roadmap, the final phase of the network’s three-phase plan to swap out its remaining elliptic-curve cryptography hinges on Ethereum’s own migration.

Ethereum named its dedicated post-quantum team in March, as Cryptopolitan reported at the time.

The rollup model that Starknet was built on has come under serious strain recently, months after Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin wrote on X in February that the progression of L2s to stage 2 has been “far slower and more difficult than originally expected.”

ENS Labs scrapped Namechain rollup plans and moved its ENSv2 upgrade fully onto Ethereum mainnet, noting that a dedicated chain had become unnecessary. That announcement, which came within days of Buterin’s post, cited the same cheaper gas and higher L1 capacity points made by the Ethereum co-founder.

While Starknet is asking its holders to vote on leaving Ethereum, ENS Labs went the opposite direction to move closer to Ethereum.

Rollups shutting down while STRK runs up

The vote arrives during a bad stretch for layer-2s. Abstract, the chain built by Pudgy Penguins parent Igloo Inc., said it will go dark on December 15, blaming thin liquidity and a consumer-crypto focus it called unsustainable as a standalone business. Blast is winding down for similar cost reasons.

Traders have reacted positively. STRK climbed more than 80% in the week after the October 8 posts, hitting $0.126 on October 11, its best level since December 2025, as Cryptopolitan reported earlier.

STRK has cooled down to $0.078, but the token has gained over 36% and 175% on the weekly and monthly timeframes, respectively.

The network holds roughly $168 million in total value locked. Going solo would hand Starknet full responsibility for its own security, a heavier job than borrowing it from the second-largest blockchain.

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