$179 PQ1 preorders opened Tuesday after Freedom Factory launched what it calls the first post-quantum hardware wallet, with global shipments slated for Q4 2026.
The device is pitched as a defense against quantum computers that could break today's ECDSA-based crypto wallets within a few years, letting users sign quantum-safe Ethereum and EVM transactions now.
PQ1 uses SPHINCS+C10 signatures through ERC-4337 smart accounts, which Freedom Factory says avoids waiting for an Ethereum protocol upgrade.
Security features include dual secure enclaves, local transaction decoding to reduce blind-signing risks, and fully open-source firmware and hardware schematics for auditability.
Founded in 2021, Freedom Factory says the launch extends its push for self-custody tools backed by supporters including NounsDAO, the Optimism Foundation, Balaji Srinivasan and Vitalik Buterin.
As quantum computers threaten Ethereum's core cryptography, does the PQ1 wallet offer true salvation or just expensive, premature smart-contract risks?
While the PQ1 bypasses Ethereum's slow upgrades using ERC-4337, will the massive gas costs of hash-based signatures render it unusable for average users?