- On May 19, XRP Ledger revealed that it had started a full audit with Project Eleven, and it made a partnership with the platform to prepare the network for quantum-resistant cryptography.
- This is the second phase, where the digital ledger is also planning to test new secure signatures ahead of full deployment by 2028.
- The platform is rapidly preparing for future quantum threats that could break the private keys of most blockchains.
On May 19, the XRP Ledger shared a major announcement where it shared the full audit of the XRP Ledger by Project Eleven ahead of quantum-resistant cryptography deployment.
In a similar announcement, Project Eleven, a leading platform for quantum security, has also announced that it is working closely with Ripple to “advance post-quantum readiness on the XRP Ledger ahead of emerging quantum computing threats.”
XRP Ledger has mentioned that they are focusing on completing a full audit. It will also execute practical testing before the major deployment of quantum-resistant signatures. After the final migration, the ledger will become one of the leading blockchains to prepare for the quantum threat.
Project Eleven Joins Hands with Ripple to Make XRP Ledger Quantum Proof
In the latest post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Project Eleven revealed its partnership with Ripple to increase the speed of “post quantum readiness” on the XRP Ledger. Project Eleven will execute a full review process and develop proof-of-concept solutions. This plan includes hybrid post-quantum signing systems.
This partnership with Project Eleven will provide different benefits, including testing at the validator level. The official announcement stated that, “The collaboration will involve a full audit of XRPL’s validator, custody, networking, and wallet layers for quantum vulnerabilities, followed by deployment of hybrid signatures that layer quantum-resistant cryptography on top of existing standards and a quantum-secure custody wallet prototype. Project Eleven will deliver working code, real performance data, and a path to production.”
What is Ripple’s Four-Phase Roadmap
In April, Ripple revealed a four-phase roadmap in order to prepare the XRP Ledger (XRPL) for a post-quantum future. The digital ledger is planning to execute post-quantum readiness by 2028.
In the first phase, the network will prepare for the possibility that current cryptography could be compromised earlier than expected. Ripple has named this first phase as a Post-quantum recovery (Q-Day readiness). In this phase, the network will create a temporary block on vulnerable signatures. During this phase, users will be able to move their funds by using zero-knowledge proofs.
The network is currently in the second phase, where they are executing a detailed audit of quantum vulnerabilities present on the network. Along with this, they are testing post-quantum algorithms suggested by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The good part of this phase is that the testing is being done on the real XRP Ledger.
According to the report, there have been early testing with ML DSA signatures, which have already been executed on a test network called AlphaNet.
The third phase will be based on hybrid integration on the Devnet. In this phase, developers will be able to verify the new quantum-resistant systems.
In the fourth and final phase, the network will implement new changes and add native post-quantum support by 2028.
Alex Pruden, CEO and Co-founder of Project Eleven, stated in the official announcement, “Every major blockchain is exposed to the same cryptographic vulnerability, but most of the response has stayed at the research stage. This engagement is about execution. Ripple is treating quantum risk as a practical engineering problem. That’s the right approach.”
Ayo Akinyele, Head of Engineering, RippleX, mentioned that, “The quantum threat isn’t hypothetical. It is an engineering challenge with a clear timeline. What puts XRPL in a strong position is that we are not starting from scratch. We already have core capabilities like key rotation and a validator network that can coordinate upgrades at scale. Working with Project Eleven helps us move faster and more rigorously as we test and implement post-quantum approaches across the stack. The goal is to be production ready well before we need to be, not reacting when Q Day arrives.”
Quantum Computing Threat Could Hit in Next 10 Years
With the boom in AI technology and the development of quantum computers, the threat of quantum computing is expected to hit the blockchain ecosystem sooner than expected.
According to experts, quantum computers will become so mature in the future that they will be able to break public key cryptography, which plays a major role in the security of most blockchains. Cyber attackers can take advantage of the Shor algorithm to break these public keys, and they will be able to generate private keys just from their public addresses. These advanced technologies will allow hackers to steal funds from the crypto wallets.
Most of the blockchains, Bitcoin and Ethereum, are using elliptic curve cryptography to generate digital signatures. Quantum computers will be able to overpass this kind of security, and it can affect both new transactions and data already stored on the blockchain network. If these networks do not get upgraded in the future, it could create a major threat to the entire DeFi ecosystem.
Many hackers are already collecting information for major crypto wallets to execute a harvest now, decrypt later (HNDL) cyber attack. In this kind of cyber attack, encrypted data is being collected and stored in the system. Later on, they will be able to decrypt the sensitive information after quantum computers become mature enough to break private keys.
According to the Quantum Threat Timeline Report 2025 introduced by the Global Risk Institute, there is a major chance of between 28% and 49% that a cryptographically relevant quantum computer will arrive in the next 10 years.
Bitcoin and Ethereum Also Take Countermeasures to Defeat Quantum Threat
Amid the rise in the quantum computing threat, the majority of blockchains are preparing to prevent the future threat. Bitcoin is facing a major problem with quantum resistance as many older addresses have already shared their public keys in the public. The network is currently not in a state to easily rotate keys. Bitcoin developers are working on major proposals to handle the future threat of quantum computing.
Ethereum’s co-founder, Vitalik Buterin, shared a quantum resistance roadmap in February, where he shared plans for Ethereum. It includes support for smart contract wallets, the use of quantum-resistant signatures approved by NIST, and zero-knowledge proofs.
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