NEAR Mobile has shipped an update that puts post-quantum vaults on users’ phones. The vaults use ML-DSA signatures, a NIST-standardized scheme that NEAR Protocol added to mainnet in July. In practice, users can send, receive and stake from accounts protected by the newer signing method. The app also adds better backup options, which matters for people who hold keys on a phone rather than a hardware device.
What the mobile update changes
The change is aimed at self-custody. A mobile wallet usually depends on classical keys, and those keys could one day be exposed to quantum attacks. NEAR Mobile now offers an account type that signs transactions with ML-DSA. That does not mean every action in the app is quantum-safe, but it gives users a direct way to move some activity into accounts using the newer scheme.
NEAR Protocol’s account model helped here. Accounts use human-readable IDs and rotatable access keys, so a user can switch signing methods without moving assets to a new account. That reduces friction, though it also means the security story depends on how well each wallet handles key rotation and backups.
Why ML-DSA matters
ML-DSA comes from the CRYSTALS-Dilithium algorithm. NIST released final versions of its first three post-quantum standards on August 13, 2024. NEAR Protocol turned on post-quantum signing on mainnet on July 20, 2026, through its 2.13 upgrade. A press release at the time said the move made NEAR one of the first layer-1 blockchains with a NIST-approved post-quantum signing scheme live on mainnet.
That claim is worth noting, but it should be read carefully. The upgrade protects accounts that choose to rotate keys. It does not make the entire network resistant to quantum attacks.
What is still missing
NEAR’s roadmap lists validator consensus as the next major step. Post-quantum signatures are also much larger than older schemes, so the Near One team is working on efficiency. Several wallets in the network were updating to support quantum signing, with Meteor Wallet live and others, including Ledger, coming soon. A later report from The Quantum Insider said NEAR’s timeline includes consensus upgrades in the second half of 2027, with inbound cross-chain transactions starting in 2027.
For mobile users, the update is a practical step. It lets people hold and stake assets in accounts secured by ML-DSA rather than relying on classical keys alone. I think the useful part is the option to rotate now, before the risk feels urgent.
