Aztec is the only privacy chain in the batch, and that is where quantum hurts most. Every shielded transaction uses UltraPLONK over BN254, and when BN254 falls to Shor, the privacy does not just stop working forward. It retroactively stops having worked. The chain that forgets becomes the chain that confesses.
Summary
Aztec is the only privacy-L2 in batch. UltraPLONK over BN254 curve provides privacy proofs; all historical shielded txs retroactively de-anonymizable when Shor breaks BN254. AES-GCM note encryption is PQ-safe but DH key exchange is not. Chaum-framed privacy disaster: privacy evaporates retroactively under CRQC. No PQC migration path documented; would require fundamental ZK proof system replacement.
What the gates say
- Hybrid: FAIL. No hybrid plan on file.
- Evidence: PASS. Sources reconstructable by third party.
- Primitive naming: PASS. Named primitives at every scored sub-level.
Burn-vs-rescue policy on file
undeclared
Seven dimensions
Each dimension scores 0-100 internally; the weighted roll-up produces the QRI on the left. Open a row to read the sub-score detail.
1 Cryptographic Exposure 32 / 100
UltraPLONK/BN254 for all privacy proofs. Noir language compiles to BN254 arithmetic circuits.
ECDSA secp256k1 (user auth) · UltraPLONK over BN254 (ZK proof system) · Poseidon (ZK-friendly hash) · AES-GCM (note encryption) · SHA-256No PQC families deployed. Privacy primitives are ECC-based.
No NIST PQC
2 HNDL Exposure 22 / 100
Account keys in encrypted notes (AES-GCM); private keys never on-chain.
Mainnet ~4 months. Limited history.
ECDSA sigs + UltraPLONK proofs all Shor-breakable.
AES-GCM for note encryption is PQ-safe. Key exchange to AES uses Diffie-Hellman over BN254 curve — Shor-breakable, so retrodecryption of historical notes possible.
3 Metadata & Privacy Exposure 35 / 100
Mixed privacy — private function calls are shielded; public function calls visible. Best current privacy-L2 on Ethereum.
Aztec Connect sequencer was centralized; new mainnet has 3,400+ sequencers, 185+ operators — decentralized sequencing from day one.
L1 bridge visible; privacy leaks on deposit/withdraw correlation.
CRITICAL: all historical shielded txs based on UltraPLONK/BN254. Shor-break means EVERY historical private tx retroactively de-anonymized. This is Chaum's specific warning.
4 Migration Architecture 52 / 100
ZK proof system swap is expensive (would need to replace UltraPLONK + BN254 curve). STARK/FRI-based PQC migration possible but architecturally significant.
Native AA from day one — signature scheme upgradeable per account.
Very new mainnet. Limited track record.
Hybrid path would require hash-based / FRI-based / STARK proof system alongside UltraPLONK — substantial work.
5 Deployment Execution 5 / 100
no public artifact found
no PQC code in Aztec client or barretenberg
Sequencers use ECDSA; no PQC keys
ZKnox PQ-precompile research references exist but not Aztec roadmap
No Aztec-specific PQC announcements
6 Supply Chain Vendor Readiness 7 / 100
7 Governance & Coordination 50 / 100
3,400+ sequencers, 185+ operators from day one — strong decentralization.
Too new for track record.
Aztec Labs (Zac Williamson, Joe Andrews).
No precedent. Aztec Connect sunset in 2023 demonstrated decommissioning capability.
The X + Y vs Z inequality
X (data shelf life): infinite for historical private txs (privacy chain; Shor-retrodecryption devastating)
Y (migration time): 10-15
Z10 (10% CRQC year): 2036 · Z50 (50%): 2041
Verdict: X+Y > Z (danger).
Four-scenario grid
| Scenario | Value preserved | Privacy preserved |
|---|---|---|
| quantum never | 100% | 100% |
| arrives suddenly pre migration | 15% | 0% |
| arrives slowly post migration | 70% | 30% |
| arrives slowly mid migration | 40% | 10% |
Peers in the privacy-L2 profile
Order-book view of the 5 chains closest to Aztec by QRI.
Public artifacts used for this scorecard
Each entry below is a sub-score citation. Clicking the link takes you to the public source. A third party should be able to reconstruct every number on this page from these URLs in 48 hours.
UltraPLONK/BN254 for all privacy proofs. Noir language compiles to BN254 arithmetic circuits.
Supply chain snapshot
A chain's supply chain cannot migrate faster than its slowest dependency. Zero PQC roadmaps in any of the four categories is a structural blocker, not a lagging indicator.
Analyst notes on the scoring
Highest metadata privacy score in batch by design (3a=12) but 3d score (retroactive de-anon) reflects the existential privacy threat. Scorecard profile weights metadata at 25%. Aztec's existence justifies privacy-L2 scorecard as methodology class.
Scorecard metadata
- Profile: privacy-L2
- Scored: 2026-04-18 by
layerqu-v2-scoring-agent-1 - v1 reference:
chainscreen-v1-archive - QRI raw: 21 · after caps: 21
- Confidence interval: ±10
- PQC washing ratio: 1x
- Burn-vs-rescue: undeclared
Caps triggered
- mosca_cap_60
- sutor_stage_cap_2
- casado_stage_cap_3
- preskill_half_dim5_dim6
- hybrid_gate_fail_cap_60