Ripple Plans to Make XRP Ledger Quantum-Resistant by 2028

TLDR

• Ripple has unveiled a four-phase roadmap to make the XRP Ledger quantum-resistant by 2028
• Phase 1 includes an emergency “Q-Day” plan that would force migration to quantum-safe accounts
• Phase 2 is already underway, with a full vulnerability assessment targeting completion in H1 2026
• Ripple has partnered with quantum security firm Project Eleven to accelerate testing
• XRP Ledger’s existing key rotation and seed-based key generation give it a head start

Ripple has published a detailed plan to protect the XRP Ledger from future quantum computing threats. The roadmap has four phases and targets full quantum readiness by 2028.

The announcement comes after Google warned that quantum computers could attack Bitcoin with less power than previously estimated. Some analysts now point to 2029 as “Q-Day” — the point when quantum computers could break current encryption.

XRP is currently the world’s fourth-largest digital asset by market cap. Ripple says the threat to XRPL is real but manageable with the right preparation.

When an XRPL account signs a transaction, its public key becomes visible on the blockchain. A quantum computer could use that exposed key to reverse-engineer the private key and drain an account’s funds.

Accounts that have been active for a long time are considered the highest risk. The longer a public key sits on-chain, the more time a future attacker would have to target it.

Phase 1: Emergency Readiness

The first phase is an emergency measure. If quantum computers arrive sooner than expected, Ripple would enforce a “hard shift” — classical public-key signatures would no longer be accepted by the network.

Users would be required to move their funds to quantum-safe accounts. Ripple is exploring the use of zero-knowledge proofs to let users prove ownership of existing keys without exposing them.

This would allow holders to migrate funds even in a worst-case scenario, so no one gets locked out of their account.

Testing and Integration

Phase 2 is already in progress and is targeted for completion in the first half of 2026. Ripple’s cryptography team is conducting a full vulnerability assessment across the network and testing defenses recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Ripple has also teamed up with quantum security research firm Project Eleven for validator-level testing and early custody wallet prototypes.

Post-quantum cryptography comes with trade-offs. Larger keys and signatures can put strain on the ledger, and the team is working through what system changes may be needed.

Phase 3 targets the second half of 2026. Ripple will begin integrating quantum-resistant signatures alongside existing ones on its developer test network, allowing developers to test new cryptography without affecting the live network.

Phase 4 is the full transition, targeted for 2028. Ripple will propose a new amendment to the XRP Ledger ecosystem for native post-quantum cryptography and begin switching the network to quantum-resistant signatures at scale.

Ripple notes that XRPL already has some built-in advantages. The network supports native key rotation, meaning users can swap out vulnerable private keys without changing their account. Its seed-based key generation also enables deterministic derivation of new keys.

Ripple engineer Ayo Akinyele said these features are not post-quantum solutions but give the network a solid foundation to build from. Project Eleven is currently building a proof-of-concept hybrid post-quantum signing implementation for the XRP Ledger.

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