The Starknet community has opened a vote on whether to explore becoming an independent Layer 1 blockchain. The proposal focuses on potential security risks from quantum computers and highlights infrastructure components tied to Ethereum. Meanwhile, STRK has gained 24.12% over the past seven days despite a pullback in the last 24 hours.
The vote, which began on Thursday, October 15, marks the first stage of a discussion aimed at giving Starknet greater control over its security decisions. However, a positive outcome would not mean an immediate departure from its current role as an Ethereum Layer 2.
STRK retains weekly gains despite a daily decline
According to the price snapshot taken at the time of writing, STRK is trading at approximately $0.0767. The token has gained 24.12% over the past seven days while falling 3.29% in the last 24 hours.
The same data shows a 30-day gain of 174.79%. This leaves the token significantly above its level a month earlier, despite selling pressure in recent days.
STRK’s 24-hour trading range extends from $0.0720 to $0.0895. Its current price sits near the lower end of that range, highlighting the short-term volatility accompanying its weekly gains.
The chart shows that the price climbed above $0.12 during its recent rally before retreating. A weekly return of more than 24% therefore does not mean the token has held on to its recent highs.
The discussion around an independent network coincides with these price movements. However, the available data is insufficient to attribute the entire rally to the vote or the quantum security initiative alone.
Starknet community considers an independent L1
In the voting snapshot reported by The Block, votes representing 177.6 million STRK had been cast, with 99.91% supporting “Yes.” These figures reflect the tally at the time of that report, rather than the final result.
The seven-day, nonbinding poll gauges the community’s interest in an independent network. If the proposal receives support, the team will begin research, followed by more detailed proposals and further votes.
A “No” outcome would keep Starknet’s post-quantum security work within its existing Layer 2 architecture. The discussion therefore centers on which network architecture should support that work, rather than whether it should continue.
StarkWare first raised the independent L1 idea on October 8. CEO Eli Ben-Sasson argues that blockchains need suitable cryptography and the ability to upgrade it when necessary.
Ethereum dependencies sit at the heart of the security debate
According to StarkWare, the components under Starknet’s direct control are well positioned to become quantum-resistant. The network already uses hash-based STARK proofs.
Starknet accounts can also adopt post-quantum signature schemes without requiring a protocol upgrade. However, its Ethereum bridge and data availability arrangements remain tied to Ethereum’s infrastructure and upgrade timeline.
The proposal identifies these dependencies as security areas outside Starknet’s direct control. An independent L1 would aim to let the network set its own security timetable for those components.
StarkWare has not announced a timeline for a potential transition. The official proposal also states that STRK would remain the network’s token, no new token would be introduced, and bridges from Ethereum to Starknet would remain open.
The security debate comes alongside new privacy developments on the network. Shadow Accounts, introduced by StarkWare this week, aim to let users maintain positions in decentralized applications without publicly linking their activity to their main wallets.
For STRK, the final vote tally and subsequent technical proposals will be key developments to watch. While initial community support appears strong, further work will need to clarify how an independent L1 would operate and the conditions for a potential transition.
