Keys, Post-Quantum and Everything: Rotating a Live NEAR Account to ML-DSA-65

What happened

The critical choice was the sequence: the new key signed the transaction that retired the old one. NIST’s proposed transition schedule calls for deprecating specified classical algorithms after 2030 and disallowing the listed quantum-vulnerable algorithms after 2035.

The account kept its address, accepted another payment, and sent funds using the new key. Switching between these algorithms therefore does not address that threat.

These are transition targets within NIST’s guidance, rather than predictions of when quantum attacks will become practical. For institutions, the planning question is how much work migration will require before it becomes urgent.