TLDR
- Ripple has announced a four-phase roadmap to make the XRP Ledger quantum-proof by 2028
- Google research found just 500,000 qubits could break elliptic curve cryptography in about nine minutes
- Phase 2 is already underway, testing NIST-standard post-quantum algorithms ML-DSA and Dilithium
- Only 0.03% of XRP supply sits in dormant accounts with exposed public keys, less than Bitcoin’s exposure
- Bitcoin and Ethereum are also working on quantum-resistant cryptography upgrades
Ripple has published a four-phase plan to protect the XRP Ledger from future quantum computing attacks. The roadmap, announced on April 20, 2026, sets a target of full quantum readiness by 2028.
JUST IN: Ripple rolls out a four-phase quantum-resistant upgrade plan for the XRP Ledger to preempt Q-Day, testing quantum-safe cryptography and parallel-running methods ahead of any breakthrough. $XRP pic.twitter.com/goQPaI5hcZ
— Bpay News (@bpaynews) August 29, 2026
The plan comes after Google’s Quantum AI team found in March 2026 that just 500,000 physical qubits could break elliptic curve cryptography, the system that keeps private keys secure across most blockchains. At that level, a quantum computer could crack a private key from a public key in roughly nine minutes.
Why Quantum Computers Are a Threat to Crypto
Most blockchains today rely on cryptographic math that classical computers cannot break in any reasonable time. Quantum computers work differently and could, in theory, reverse-engineer a private key from publicly visible data on the blockchain.
Researchers call the point at which this becomes practical “Q-Day.” Once that happens, wallets with exposed public keys could be at risk.
Ripple’s senior director of engineering, Ayo Akinyele, said the company wants to act before that moment arrives. “The goal is not to wait until quantum computing becomes an immediate threat,” he said.
Ripple’s Four-Phase Roadmap
Phase 1 is an emergency contingency. If quantum threats emerge before the full upgrade is ready, this phase triggers a rapid migration to quantum-safe accounts.
Phase 2 is already in progress in the first half of 2026. Ripple is testing two NIST-approved post-quantum algorithms, ML-DSA and Dilithium, in partnership with quantum security research firm Project Eleven.
Later phases will introduce a formal XRP Ledger amendment for native post-quantum support. Testnet deployments are expected through mid-2026.
One challenge with these new algorithms is size. Dilithium signatures are roughly 40 times larger than those used today, which could affect transaction speed and storage if not managed carefully.
How Exposed Is XRP Right Now?
An independent audit found that only 0.03% of XRP’s total supply sits in dormant accounts with exposed public keys. That compares favorably to Bitcoin, where older pay-to-public-key addresses, including some believed to belong to Satoshi Nakamoto, have fully visible public keys on the blockchain.
Active accounts that have never broadcast a transaction do not expose their public keys on-chain, reducing their risk.
Akinyele also noted that AI is adding pressure alongside quantum computing. An Anthropic model recently cut the work needed to break a leading post-quantum signature candidate by a factor of 67 million.
The XRP Ledger already lets users replace account keys without changing the account itself, a feature that could ease a future migration.
Bitcoin and Ethereum developers are also working on replacing their digital signature systems before quantum computers become a real threat.
