Taurus is proud to collaborate with Project Eleven (founded by Alex Pruden and Conor Deegan) and Zooko Wilcox-O'Hearn (founder of Zcash) on a new open initiative designed to improve the performance of post-quantum cryptographic signature schemes without compromising on security.

ML-DSA-B is a modified version of signature standard ML-DSA (FIPS 204), replacing its internal hashing mechanism with BLAKE3, the fastest widely deployed cryptographic hash function. The result: faster signatures, faster verifications, and lower operational costs for blockchain users and validators.

Why it matters

Post-quantum signatures such as ML-DSA and SLH-DSA are central to the long-term security of financial infrastructures, from digital asset platforms to banking networks and secure application delivery. However, post-quantum signatures can be computationally demanding, especially when integrated in hybrid mode along a classical signature scheme. 

The hash function BLAKE3 offers a practical solution. Designed for modern CPUs and GPUs, BLAKE3 achieves significantly higher throughput than SHA-2 or SHA-3, while maintaining equivalent security guarantees such as preimage and collision resistance. BLAKE3 is deployed in systems such as blockchain networks, programming languages, and video games.

By integrating BLAKE3 within ML-DSA, the new ML-DSA-B variant delivers:

• Message pre-hash: up to 60 times faster,
• Signature: up to 20% faster,
• Verification: up to 30% faster.

These improvements make post-quantum cryptography more deployable across high-throughput and latency-sensitive financial environments.

A sensible insurance policy

While a large-scale quantum computer capable of breaking current public-key cryptography is not imminent, the cost of preparedness is low compared to the potential systemic risk of inaction.
Upgrading to quantum-resistant cryptography, or even beginning the transition, is a cheap insurance policy for critical financial infrastructure.

At Taurus, we see this as a pragmatic step toward long-term resilience. We closely follow blockchains’ transition plans, including those of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Zcash.

Leadership and expertise

Taurus CSO Jean-Philippe (JP) Aumasson, co-author of the NIST-standardized SLH-DSA signature scheme and one of the designers of the BLAKE family of hash functions, has been a leading voice in quantum-risk management. He has given numerous talks to financial institutions and the security community on strategies for mitigating quantum threats to digital assets and public-key infrastructures.

ML-DSA-B continues this effort, combining practical engineering with forward-looking security.

Learn more and access the open-source repository: https://github.com/PQC-Suite-B/