Key Takeaways:

• Ripple plans to upgrade the XRP Ledger to protect it from future quantum-computer attacks by 2028.
• New research shows quantum computers could eventually break today’s crypto security.
• Ripple’s step-by-step plan will gradually introduce stronger security and help users move funds safely to quantum-protected accounts.

Ripple, the company that helps develop the XRP Ledger (XRPL), has published a four-phase roadmap to protect the blockchain from future quantum-computing threats by 2028.

Released on 20 April 2026, the plan follows research from Google Quantum AI showing that powerful future quantum machines — advanced computers that can solve complex problems much faster than today’s systems — may eventually break the encryption used by most blockchains.

XRP, the native token of XRPL, is currently the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization.

The quantum threat to blockchain security

Google Quantum AI’s research found that around 500,000 physical qubits (units that measure quantum computing power) could be enough to crack standard blockchain encryption, with a future quantum computer able to extract a private key from an exposed public key in about nine minutes.

Ripple engineers have also flagged a quieter risk called “harvest now, decrypt later,” where attackers collect encrypted data from blockchains now and store it until quantum computers become strong enough to decode it later.

According to quantum security company Project Eleven, over 6.9 million Bitcoin (BTC), about one-third of its total supply, already sits in wallets where public keys are permanently exposed, making them more vulnerable in the future.

Inside Ripple’s four-phase plan

Ripple’s roadmap is designed to gradually upgrade XRPL without disrupting users.

Phase 1, labeled “Q-Day Readiness,” is an emergency plan. If quantum computers gain the ability to break current encryption earlier than expected, Ripple would stop accepting older cryptographic signatures. Users would then need to move funds to quantum-safe accounts, supported by zero-knowledge proofs, a method that confirms ownership without revealing sensitive data.

Phase 2 is already underway and expected to be completed in the first half of 2026. It involves testing new security methods recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the US government’s global cybersecurity standards agency, in partnership with Project Eleven.

Phase 3, planned for the second half of 2026, will test new quantum-safe signatures alongside existing ones on Devnet, XRPL’s developer testing network (a sandbox for testing changes).

Phase 4 aims to introduce full native post-quantum cryptography — security designed to resist quantum attacks — through a formal network upgrade by 2028.

XRPL’s structural advantages

XRPL already includes features that may simplify this transition. One key advantage is native key rotation, which allows users to update their security keys without moving funds to a new wallet or account. On networks like Ethereum, users would typically need to transfer assets to new wallets for such upgrades.

The network is also faster. XRPL settles transactions in about three to six seconds, compared to about 12 seconds on Ethereum and around 10 minutes on Bitcoin. This shorter processing time reduces how long sensitive data, like public keys, is exposed on the blockchain.

Developers working on Bitcoin and Ethereum are also exploring quantum-resistant solutions, showing that the broader crypto industry is starting to take this risk seriously.