Ripple Targets 2028 for Quantum-Safe XRP Ledger Transition
Quantum computers pose a growing threat to blockchain security. Ripple plans to run quantum-resistant methods on test networks by late 2026, with the Ethereum Foundation targeting 2029 for completion, while researchers warn half of all Bitcoin could be at risk.
Key Takeaway
Ripple and Ethereum are racing to quantum-proof their networks before hackers decrypt harvested blockchain data.
Ripple issued a statement Tuesday outlining its roadmap to protect the XRP Ledger from quantum computers, setting late 2026 as the target for running quantum-resistant methods on test networks and 2028 for full transition.
The company cited recent research from Google Quantum AI showing that sufficiently advanced quantum computers could break the cryptography most blockchains rely on today. Ripple characterized the threat as having moved from theoretical to credible, though no quantum computers currently exist with that capability. Experts predict such machines could arrive in two to eight years.
Ripple's four-phase plan starts with testing security methods recommended by NIST, the global standards body for cybersecurity, alongside existing systems. If a quantum breach occurs before 2028, the XRP Ledger would stop accepting old-style signatures and force users to migrate to quantum-safe accounts. Ethereum Foundation researchers published their own four-pronged protection plan in March, aiming for completion in 2029.
Chaincode Labs researchers warned that 50% of all Bitcoin faces quantum risk. Two proposals address the threat: BIP-360 aims to mitigate risks before they materialize, while BIP-361 would freeze coins exposed and unmoved for over a decade. That second proposal impacts 1.1 million Bitcoin attributed to Satoshi Nakamoto.
Hackers are already collecting public blockchain data in a strategy called "harvest now, decrypt later," waiting for quantum computers to mature before cracking it. The Ethereum network holds ₱16.7 trillion ($278 billion) in value, and the Ethereum Foundation said it doesn't expect quantum computing to become cryptographically relevant for another eight to twelve years, but researchers are erring on the side of caution with a 2029 deadline.
This article was written based on reporting from Dlnews.
