Strategically adopts NIST's highest security level, 'Level 5 (ML-DSA-87),' and proves performance of 3,880 tx per block through testing.
Declares a paradigm shift for real-world blockchains, moving from "coin trading" to a "Web3.0 membership infrastructure for the A.I. era."

SymVerse Labs (CEO Soo-hyuk Choi), a company specializing in blockchain mainnets, announced that it has completed the core development of its next-generation mainnet, 'SymVerse 3.0.' This mainnet is designed to protect the blockchain ecosystem from the threat of quantum computers and to realize data sovereignty in the A.I. era, and it was officially applied to the testnet on May 20th.

This update is an "expandable hybrid upgrade (hard fork)" that broadens rules to simultaneously accommodate next-generation post-quantum cryptography (PQC) while keeping the existing ECDSA cryptographic system intact. Unlike the quantum-resistant hard fork methods of major blockchains—which move assets to a new chain and disconnect from past data—SymVerse has achieved a structural advancement that supports both cryptographic systems together while maintaining the continuity of existing assets and addresses.

SymVerse 3.0 is the world's first to adopt and operate the 'ML-DSA-87 (NIST Level 5)' signature, the highest security grade based on the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. It differentiates itself from existing quantum-resistant blockchains, some of which remain at the relatively lower security level of 'ML-DSA-44 (NIST Level 2)'.

On the 20th, SymVerse Labs conducted a benchmark test identical to an actual trading environment on a dual server (a distributed environment with a total of 8 nodes). As a result of the test, SymVerse 3.0 stably processed 3,880 transactions (tx), which is the maximum theoretical limit per block. Simultaneously, it provided block finality within 1.5 seconds through its proprietary consensus engine, proving both the highest level of quantum security and overwhelming processing speed.

For such high-speed processing, the company primarily introduced ML-DSA, which possesses the most superior signature verification speed at the native level. It maximized engine efficiency by excluding hash-based algorithms like 'SLH-DSA,' which are unsuitable for high-speed blockchains due to weak verification speeds.

In particular, the data explosion problem that inevitably occurs when introducing quantum-resistant signatures was fundamentally solved through the proprietary CAD (Consensus Authorization Digest) technology developed by SymVerse Labs. In the transaction approval stage, the signature type is identified and algorithm-specific verification is completed; afterward, the heavy original signature data is separated from the permanent ledger. Overall network efficiency is improved by recording only a fixed-size (32 bytes) CAD in the block, which summarizes the verification pass result into a 256-bit hash.

▲ Graph: A formal paper published by the SymVerse Labs Research Institute on an international academic sharing platform proved with actual test data how drastically SymVerse's CAD architecture blocks data explosion and maximizes blockchain efficiency compared to existing cryptographic recording methods.

Source: SymVerse Labs Research Institute, "Consensus Authorization Digest (CAD) Enables Quantum-Resistant Blockchains for Any PQC Signature", Research Square (Published February 2026)

This hard fork is drawing attention from the industry as it preempts global blockchain standards and sovereignty using domestic technology. It is being evaluated as a prime example of a 'K-Sovereign blockchain' that has elevated the status of South Korea's blockchain industry.

In addition, SymVerse Labs has completely discarded its previous consensus mechanism, which elected block producers using the hash of the previous block. It executed a generational shift in its consensus structure by combining a Verifiable Random Function (VRF) with the concept of Stake (equity), preventing attackers from predicting the next block generation node.

Furthermore, in the explosively growing A.I. era, it provides a social ecosystem where various blockchain-based A.I. integrated apps can settle into real life. It achieves this by introducing a unique nickname system connected to each address, alongside referral codes and links, while perfectly protecting personal information.

Soo-hyuk Choi, CEO of SymVerse Labs, stated, "The application of SymVerse 3.0 to the testnet is a historic moment; it is not just lip service to quantum preparedness, but the implementation of the only realistic, top-tier quantum-resistant migration among blockchains worldwide." He expressed his ambition, adding, "In the future Web3.0 environment dominated by A.I. and massive data, SymVerse will prove the true value of real-life blockchains as a global standard infrastructure".

https://www.etnews.com/20260529000162

https://www.fintechtoday.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=2811