Zcash developers are planning a change so that ZEC swaps via NEAR Intents stay private even if a future quantum computer breaks their cryptography. The proposal gives each swap its own viewing key for the refund address, so cracking one address exposes only that swap. The spending key stays separate. Wallets could adopt the change within weeks, and Zcash is targeting quantum-resistant payments in January.
What it means: The threat Zcash faces is known as harvest now, decrypt later. Blockchain data is public and permanent, so someone can store it today and analyse it once powerful enough quantum computers exist. For a coin that promises privacy, that is an existential issue. Giving each swap its own key does not remove the risk, but it limits the damage: instead of exposing a user's entire history, only one transaction is revealed. It is a practical step until a full move to post-quantum algorithms is possible. The same problem affects any system holding sensitive data for years, such as bank records, medical files or tax data. The EU has already published a roadmap for moving to quantum-resistant cryptography, aiming to protect critical infrastructure within the next decade. For Greek businesses and public bodies, the first step is to map where cryptography is used and which data must stay confidential for many years. That will show which systems need upgrading first.
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