XRP Ledger Foundation Outlines $255K Quantum Security Upgrade

The XRP Ledger Foundation has laid out a plan to create quantum-resistant accounts on its network. The proposed upgrade aims to safeguard users against potential future quantum attacks while keeping transaction fees the same.

Despite the proposal, several technical obstacles and a lengthy development period remain before it can be deployed.

XRP Quantum Proposal Explained

A quantum-proof account refers to a wallet secured by a signature system that quantum computers would struggle to compromise. Even if attackers gain access to advanced quantum hardware, the funds would remain protected.

The vulnerability stems from how blockchain networks verify ownership.

“Every time an account signs a transaction, it reveals a public key,” the XRP foundation study explains.

As a result, any account that has ever sent a transaction remains at risk. The foundation released the design as part of its 2027 protocol roadmap. Here are the main features:

• New keys: Account holders could attach a quantum-resistant key based on ML-DSA-44, a standard approved by NIST in 2024.
• Safer switch: Users could then deactivate their original, potentially exposed key.
• No extra fees: Standard transaction fees would remain unchanged, with validators covering the added storage costs.
• Heavier data: A quantum-resistant key and signature would require 3,732 bytes, compared with 105 bytes for a regular payment.
• Timeline: Development and auditing could occur in late 2027 or 2028, following a migration study.

For now, developers must resolve a key-generation inconsistency between the Python prototype and other implementations.

Auditing this single amendment could cost up to $255,000.

Which Other Crypto is Preparing for Quantum Threats?

The XRP Ledger is not the only network addressing this challenge. Several major blockchains are gearing up for Q-Day, the point at which quantum computers could break existing cryptography:

• Bitcoin: BIP-360, merged in February 2026, suggests a quantum-resistant output type. It is not yet active on the main chain.
• Ethereum: The Ethereum Foundation established a post-quantum team in January 2026. Its roadmap gradually introduces protections through 2030.
• Algorand: Since 2022, the network has employed Falcon signatures for State Proofs. It now supports Falcon-backed accounts.
• Solana: Blueshift released Winternitz Vault, which holds funds using quantum-resistant one-time signatures.

Even so, most of these initiatives remain proposals rather than fully implemented, network-wide protections.