Ripple Unveils Four-Phase Plan for Quantum-Resistant XRP Ledger by 2028

Ripple unveiled a four-phase plan to make the XRP Ledger quantum-resistant by 2028, according to CoinDesk. The plan positions the decentralized layer-1 blockchain for potential quantum threats, including an emergency Q-day readiness phase that would force a migration to quantum-safe accounts and enable fund recovery via zero-knowledge proofs if quantum threats arrive sooner than expected.

XRP is the native token of the XRP Ledger and ranks as the world's fourth-largest digital asset by market capitalization. Ripple uses the XRP Ledger, XRP and other digital assets in its solutions, and is one of many developers building on and contributing to the XRP Ledger.

The Q-day readiness phase serves as an emergency measure to protect exposed public keys and long-held accounts. In this phase, classical public-key signatures would no longer be accepted, requiring all funds to migrate to quantum-safe accounts. The phase also enables safe recovery for account owners through zero-knowledge proofs, allowing fund migration even in compromised scenarios.

Google warned that a quantum computer could potentially attack Bitcoin with less computational power than previously estimated. Some analysts suggested 2029 as the Q-day. A quantum computer poses risks to the XRP Ledger by potentially reverse-engineering private keys from exposed public keys, targeting long-held accounts, and presenting operational challenges tied to every XRP holder and application on the ledger.

Phase 2 is underway and targeted for completion in the first half of 2026. It involves Ripple's applied cryptography team conducting a full assessment of quantum vulnerability across the XRPL network. Phase 2 includes testing defenses suggested by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Ripple teamed up with Project Eleven for validator-level testing, developer networking benchmarking, and early custody wallet prototypes in this phase. Post-quantum cryptography uses larger keys and signatures, which can strain the ledger, so the team is evaluating tradeoffs and necessary system changes.

It involves integrating quantum-resistant signatures alongside existing ones on Ripple's developer test network. This allows developers to test and build against the new cryptography without disrupting the live network. The work extends to rethinking broader cryptography for privacy and secure data processing, including compliant tokenization and confidential transfers.

“This phase is where experimentation meets system design.”

Phase 4 targets completion by 2028. It includes designing, building, and proposing a new amendment to the XRPL ecosystem for native post-quantum cryptography. Phase 4 also involves transitioning the network to PQC-based signatures at scale. " — Ripple's team The phased approach aims to make the migration seamless for users as defenses against quantum threats are built.