TRON Tests Quantum Signatures That Could Cut TPS by 95%
TRON is testing post-quantum signatures that could protect transactions against future quantum-computing attacks. The security benefit comes with a measurable trade-off: the signatures take up more data, leaving less room for transactions in each block.
The proposal’s largest projected reduction applies only if every transaction adopts ML-DSA-44. It is a capacity model, not a live mainnet result or a forecast for an initial rollout.
Key Takeaways
- TRON is testing quantum signatures on Nile.
- Larger signatures reduce available block space.
- Full Falcon use models roughly 400 TPS.
- Full ML-DSA use models roughly 173 TPS.
- Mainnet activation still needs governance approval.
TRON is testing post-quantum signatures that could protect transactions against future quantum-computing attacks. The security benefit comes with a measurable trade-off: the signatures take up more data, leaving less room for transactions in each block.
The proposal is live on testnet, not mainnet
TRON’s TIP-899 proposal adds two post-quantum signature options: Falcon-512 and ML-DSA-44. The code is included in a Nile testnet release, where developers can test how the new signing methods work across the network.
The feature is disabled by default. It cannot change TRON’s mainnet transaction rules unless network governance approves activation after the planned testing and security work.
Why signature size can reduce transaction capacity
Every blockchain transaction needs a digital signature: proof that the account holder approved it. TRON currently uses ECDSA signatures. Falcon-512 and ML-DSA-44 are designed to resist attacks from sufficiently advanced quantum computers, but the proof attached to a transaction is much larger.
Blocks have a fixed data budget. A larger signature leaves less of that budget for other transactions. The proposal therefore models a lower transaction ceiling even though the post-quantum signatures verify faster in TRON’s own benchmarks than ECDSA.
In other words, the issue is not that nodes would be too slow to check the new signatures. It is that each signed transaction would consume more block bandwidth.
TRON’s estimates show the size of the trade-off
TIP-899 models a baseline capacity of about 3,809 simple transactions per second using ECDSA. Its estimates fall as a larger share of transactions uses post-quantum signatures.
These are proposal estimates for simple transactions under fixed block-capacity assumptions. They do not represent observed TRON mainnet throughput.
A mixed network would look different from the 95% scenario
The full-adoption cases are stress tests. TRON could allow existing ECDSA accounts to operate alongside users who choose a post-quantum signature, limiting the immediate impact on block capacity.
The 10% models show why that distinction matters. A network with one-tenth of transactions using Falcon-512 is still modeled above 2,000 TPS. That would be a meaningful reduction from the ECDSA baseline, yet it is far less severe than the 400 TPS estimate attached to universal Falcon-512 use.
Falcon-512 produces the less restrictive capacity model of the two proposed systems. ML-DSA-44 produces the larger reduction, making the choice of signature scheme relevant to any eventual migration path.
The issue matters for a high-volume transfer network
TRON is used for frequent transfers, including stablecoin transactions. If signed transactions require more block space, the network would either fit fewer transfers into each block or need to change its capacity rules.
As our earlier look at TRON’s revenue model explained, transaction volume has been central to the network’s activity and fee generation. That makes block efficiency more important than a theoretical benchmark: it affects the network’s ability to handle the transfers users already make.
What must happen before a mainnet decision
TIP-899 has not been approved for mainnet activation. The proposal calls for governance approval, an external security audit and expanded bug-bounty coverage before deployment.
The review has to cover more than wallet signing. The proposal extends to block production and communication between nodes, so an audit would need to test how those systems interact before TRON introduces the feature to its live network.
TRON’s test will be whether security can scale
The proposal gives TRON a route to quantum-resistant signing, but its own estimates show that signature size cannot be treated as a minor technical detail. The practical test is whether a mixed-signature network can preserve enough capacity for ordinary transfers before governance considers a broader migration.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment or technical advice. The proposal remains subject to testing, audit and governance approval.
Kosta has reported on cryptocurrency markets and blockchain infrastructure since 2020, bringing over six years of hands-on experience in the crypto industry built through daily tracking of markets, trends, and emerging blockchain developments. Specializing in Bitcoin on-chain analysis, institutional ETF flows, and digital asset price action, his work at Coindoo has been cited by other news agencies and consistently covers market developments with a focus on data-driven reporting across Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP. Over the years, Kosta has contributed to multiple crypto media outlets in different regions, authoring over 6,000 articles across the sector. His reporting spans cryptocurrency markets and the broader fintech industry, tracking not only price action but also the technological and regulatory forces shaping the ecosystem. To support his analysis, Kosta actively leverages on-chain data and metrics from leading platforms such as Santiment, Glassnode, and CryptoQuant, enabling deeper, evidence-based market insights. He believes in the power of transparency and the data that underpins the blockchain ecosystem. His academic background in Marketing Management from Denmark further complements his analytical approach, adding a strong understanding of communication strategy and content positioning to his work.
