XRP Ledger is advancing a security upgrade plan aimed at addressing the risks associated with quantum computing. According to the timeline disclosed by the developers, the goal is to complete a full quantum-resistant transformation by 2028, and to launch a hybrid deployment scheme that allows both old and new signatures to coexist by 2027. This progress also means that XRPL's public roadmap is ahead of Ethereum's current plans, which extend until 2029.
In 2027, hybrid deployment will be prioritized first.
XRPL Foundation contributors, list of decentralized unique nodes dUNL Verifiers Vet It indicates that the development team has initiated actual testing of quantum-resistant algorithms. According to the current plan, 2027 will mark a critical transition phase, during which the new security protocol will run in parallel with the existing system to minimize the impact of the switch on the network.
Developers hope to gradually expand the coverage of the new scheme in this way without interrupting network operations, rather than replacing the entire encryption system all at once.
Three aspects of design are considered key points.
XRPL The developer mentioned that there are several relatively advantageous designs in the existing architecture during the migration process.
- Supports native key rotation while retaining the existing r-address address.
- Pre-set " Quantum-Day " emergency plan for isolating vulnerable accounts
- Quantum-resistant algorithms have begun to be tested, and preparations are underway for phased deployment.
Among them, native key rotation means that when users update their encryption keys, they do not need to migrate on a large scale to new wallet addresses. In contrast, if some blockchains switch to post-quantum standards, users may need to manually transfer their assets.
The so-called “Quantum-Day” emergency protocol is a contingency mechanism reserved for sudden breakthroughs in quantum computing capabilities. According to the developers, this solution allows high-risk accounts to be quickly switched to a secure mode without shutting down the ledger.
The discussion regarding Algorand has heated up again.
As XRPL announced its roadmap, the community once again discussed its progress in the field of quantum resistance compared to Algorand. As previously mentioned by Algorand, a quantum-safe account based on Falcon-1024 signatures has been launched.
However, Vet believes that this does not mean that the network already has comprehensive quantum-resistant capabilities. He pointed out that Algorand is still using Ed25519 in many daily operations, and the relevant protections are not complete; XRPL is also conducting reviews of verifiers and other network layers through Project Eleven to identify areas that still need to be strengthened.
According to the current plan XRPL, subsequent steps include continued testing, parallel operation of old and new signatures in 2027, and the completion of the mainnet upgrade in 2028.
