Learn QRL
QRL — the Quantum Resistant Ledger — is a blockchain built to survive quantum computers, using post-quantum signatures instead of the ECDSA that Bitcoin and Ethereum rely on. These plain-English guides explain how that works, how staking and the two chains fit together, and how to read the on-chain data on this explorer — no cryptography background needed.
Learning paths
Start here
New to QRL? Three short reads: what it is, why it resists quantum computers, and how to read the on-chain data.
The quantum threat & post-quantum crypto
Why quantum computers endanger today's blockchains — and what the post-quantum standards do about it.
- 1.How quantum computers break cryptography
- 2.Grover's algorithm and hash functions
- 3.Harvest now, decrypt later
- 4.NIST post-quantum standards
- 5.The quantum-resistance checklist
- 6.Which blockchains are actually quantum-resistant?
- 7.Can quantum computers steal your Bitcoin?
- 8.Quantum-resistant vs quantum-safe vs post-quantum
QRL's cryptography
The signature schemes under the hood: XMSS on Legacy, ML-DSA-87 on QRL 2.0, and how addresses are derived.
Staking on QRL 2.0
How Proof-of-Stake works on QRL 2.0 — validators, slots and epochs, and how rewards are paid out.
The two chains & the migration
How QRL Legacy and QRL 2.0 relate, the announced migration model, and where the supply comes from.
Browse by topic
Blockchain basics
What is QRL?
A plain-English introduction to the Quantum Resistant Ledger — the two chains, why it exists, and how to engage with it.
5 min read
What is a blockchain?
A plain-English explanation of what a blockchain actually is — a shared, append-only ledger that no single party controls.
5 min read
Blocks and transactions
What a transaction is, what a block is, and how they fit together — the two core objects you'll see all over this explorer.
5 min read
Wallets, addresses and keys
What a private key, public key, address and wallet actually are — and what makes QRL's keys different.
5 min read
Proof-of-Work vs Proof-of-Stake on QRL
QRL Legacy is mined (Proof-of-Work); QRL 2.0 is staked (Proof-of-Stake). Here's what that difference actually means.
6 min read
Cryptography
XMSS explained — the signature behind QRL Legacy
How XMSS, the hash-based one-time signature scheme, lets QRL Legacy sign transactions in a way no known quantum computer can break.
8 min read
One-time signatures and OTS keys
Why XMSS keys can only be used once, what the OTS index is, and what it means for QRL Legacy wallets.
5 min read
ML-DSA-87 explained — the signature behind QRL 2.0
How ML-DSA-87, the NIST-standardised lattice signature, secures QRL 2.0 — and why it is stateless, unlike XMSS.
7 min read
Hash-based signatures
The family of signatures that build security from hash functions alone — the foundation under XMSS.
5 min read
QRL address formats — Legacy vs QRL 2.0
Both QRL chains use a Q-prefix address, but they are different lengths and derived differently. Here's how to tell them apart.
5 min read
Economics & tokenomics
QRL tokenomics and supply
Where QRL comes from — the 105M cap, the genesis allocation, mining emission, and how QRL 2.0 issuance differs.
6 min read
Block rewards and emission
How new QRL is created through mining rewards, and why the emission schedule decays over time.
4 min read
Gas and fees explained
The difference between gas and a fee, and why QRL Legacy and QRL 2.0 charge transaction fees in completely different ways.
6 min read
Units: Shor, Quanta and Planck
The units QRL amounts are measured in, and how the two chains' base units line up so they can be compared.
4 min read
How-to guides
How to read a block explorer
A practical walk-through of finding a transaction, checking a wallet, and understanding the data Quantascan shows you.
6 min read
Understanding the richlist
What the richlist shows, how to read it across both chains, and what it does and doesn't tell you.
4 min read
Reading an address page
How to make sense of an address page on Quantascan — balance, transactions, and the chain-specific details.
4 min read
Contract calls and internal transfers
What happens when a transaction calls a smart contract, why value can move even when the headline amount is zero, and what "internal transfers" really are.
5 min read
Wallet badges explained
Every badge a Quantascan address can carry — what each one means, and when it's assigned.
5 min read
Proof-of-Stake mechanics
Proof-of-Stake on QRL 2.0
How QRL 2.0 secures itself with staking instead of mining — validators, the beacon chain, and finality.
6 min read
Validators and staking
What a validator is on QRL 2.0, how staking works, and how rewards and penalties keep validators honest.
5 min read
Slots, epochs and the beacon chain
The consensus clock of QRL 2.0 — what slots and epochs are, and what the beacon chain does.
5 min read
Withdrawals explained
What EIP-4895 withdrawals are, why they're separate from transactions, and why they dominate value flow on QRL 2.0's testnet.
4 min read
Slashing explained
What slashing is, what gets a validator slashed, and why it keeps Proof-of-Stake honest.
4 min read
QRL-specific
QRL Legacy vs QRL 2.0
A side-by-side guide to QRL's two chains — what's the same, what's different, and how they relate.
6 min read
The QRL → QRL 2.0 migration
How value is expected to move from QRL Legacy to QRL 2.0 — the snapshot, the on-chain XMSS claim, and what is and isn't public yet.
6 min read
QRandomX mining
How QRL Legacy is mined — the QRandomX algorithm, why it favours CPUs, and what mining secures.
4 min read
Smart contracts on QRL 2.0
What smart contracts are, why QRL 2.0 has them and QRL Legacy doesn't, and what EVM-compatibility means.
5 min read
Quantum resistance
Why QRL is quantum-resistant
How quantum computers threaten today's cryptography, why "harvest now, decrypt later" is the real concern, and what post-quantum cryptography actually means.
7 min read
How quantum computers break cryptography
What Shor's and Grover's algorithms actually do to today's cryptography — and why signatures, not hashes, are the real danger.
7 min read
Grover's algorithm and hash functions
Why the quantum threat to hash functions is real but manageable — and why doubling the hash size is enough.
5 min read
Harvest now, decrypt later
Why the quantum threat matters today even though no dangerous quantum computer exists yet.
4 min read
NIST post-quantum standards
What the 2024 NIST post-quantum standards are, and where QRL's signature schemes fit in.
5 min read
The quantum-resistance checklist
Seven verifiable tests that separate a genuinely quantum-resistant blockchain from a marketing claim — and how to check each one yourself.
8 min read
Which blockchains are actually quantum-resistant?
A neutral, source-checkable comparison of what signature schemes real blockchains use — and why most "quantum-safe" claims fail the only test that counts.
8 min read
Can quantum computers steal your Bitcoin?
Whether a quantum computer could drain a crypto wallet, which coins are exposed, and what actually protects you.
6 min read
Quantum-resistant vs quantum-safe vs post-quantum
The terms get used interchangeably and loosely. Here is what each one actually means, and which one you can verify.
5 min read
FAQ about QRL learning
Common questions about this page
- Who are these guides for?
- Anyone trying to understand QRL — holders, newcomers, and the quantum-curious. They're written in plain English and assume no cryptography background. If you can read a block explorer's address page, you can read these.
- Where should I start?
- Start with what is QRL for the big picture of the two chains, then why quantum-resistance matters for the cryptography, and how to read a block explorer to get hands-on with the data.
- Is QRL really quantum resistant?
- Yes. QRL Legacy signs transactions with XMSS and QRL 2.0 with ML-DSA-87 — post-quantum signature schemes with no known quantum attack, unlike the ECDSA used by Bitcoin and Ethereum. Our guide on the quantum threat in depth explains why.
- How is QRL different from Bitcoin and Ethereum?
- Mainly the signatures: Bitcoin and Ethereum use ECDSA, which a large quantum computer could break, while QRL uses quantum-resistant signatures. QRL also runs two chains — the QRL Legacy Proof-of-Work mainnet and its Proof-of-Stake successor, QRL 2.0. See the two-chain overview.
- Where can I buy QRL and store it?
- QRL trades on several exchanges and on-ramps — see where to buy QRL. To hold it yourself, the ecosystem directory lists wallets and tooling. Moving QRL to a wallet you control is the default best practice after buying.
- What is QRL in one sentence?
- The Quantum Resistant Ledger — a blockchain built from the start to survive quantum computers, using signature schemes (XMSS on QRL Legacy, ML-DSA-87 on QRL 2.0) that have no known quantum attack.
- How often is this content updated?
- The guides are hand-maintained and revalidate hourly, so edits land within about an hour of a deploy. Each article shows its last-updated date.