Ripple Plans Quantum-Resistant XRP Ledger by 2028

Ripple, the San Francisco-based developer of the XRP Ledger, announced a four-phase roadmap on April 20 to transition the blockchain to quantum-resistant cryptography by 2028. The plan addresses emerging threats from quantum computing, which could eventually compromise current encryption methods used to secure digital assets.

The initiative responds to recent research from Google Quantum AI, which indicates that sufficiently advanced quantum computers could break widely used cryptographic algorithms, such as those in elliptic curve digital signature schemes, far sooner than previously anticipated. While no immediate risks exist for assets on the XRP Ledger today, Ripple highlighted a key vulnerability known as "harvest now, decrypt later." In this scenario, adversaries could collect publicly exposed cryptographic data from blockchains now and decrypt it once quantum hardware advances, potentially targeting long-held accounts where public keys become visible after transactions.

Ripple's cryptography team, including experts Dr. Murat Cenk and Dr. Tamas Visegrady, emphasized that the threat has shifted from theoretical to credible, necessitating proactive preparation. The company...