XRP Ledger Unveils Quantum-Resistant Account Plan. Here’s the Latest

The XRP Ledger is advancing its plans to protect user accounts against future quantum computing threats, with a proposed security upgrade that would allow users to adopt quantum-resistant keys without paying additional transaction fees.

The initiative forms part of a broader effort to prepare the network for changes in cryptography, as Ripple targets full post-quantum readiness by 2028.

Whale Insider reported the development in a post on X, pointing to the XRP Ledger’s plans to introduce quantum-resistant account security. The proposal would allow account owners to upgrade their security while retaining their existing accounts, rather than moving their XRP and other assets to entirely new addresses.

The development follows Ripple’s previously published post-quantum security roadmap and a more detailed protocol roadmap from the XRP Ledger Foundation.

XRP Ledger Plans Quantum-Resistant Account Upgrades

The XRP Ledger Foundation’s proposed security design would allow account owners to add a quantum-resistant signing key and disable their existing cryptographic key. This approach would help protect accounts against future attacks that could exploit weaknesses in the cryptographic methods that currently secure blockchain transactions.

The proposed system uses ML-DSA-44, a post-quantum digital signature algorithm standardized by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2024. The algorithm is designed to withstand attacks from sufficiently powerful quantum computers.

The upgrade would also preserve the network’s existing base transaction fee. Although quantum-resistant keys and signatures require more storage than conventional cryptographic signatures, the proposal does not plan to pass those additional costs directly to users through higher transaction fees.

This means XRP holders could eventually strengthen their account security without paying an extra network fee specifically for the upgrade.

Ripple Targets Full Quantum Protection By 2028

Ripple first outlined its post-quantum security strategy in an April 20, 2026 article titled Post-Quantum Readiness on the XRP Ledger. The article, written by Ayo Akinyele, explained that the company was developing a multi-phase strategy to prepare the network for increasingly powerful quantum computers.

The strategy includes testing quantum-resistant cryptographic methods alongside existing security systems before gradually transitioning the network. Ripple is also working with Project Eleven on early implementations, including validator testing, Devnet benchmarking, and a post-quantum custody wallet prototype.

Ripple divided the initiative into four phases, covering emergency account recovery, cryptographic research, experimentation with quantum-resistant technology, and a full transition to post-quantum signatures.

The final phase targets full network readiness by 2028. Ripple plans to introduce native post-quantum cryptography through a new network amendment and coordinate the transition with developers, validators, and other ecosystem participants.

XRP Ledger Foundation Outlines Implementation Timeline

The XRP Ledger Foundation’s 2027 protocol roadmap provides additional details about the proposed quantum-resistant upgrade. It identifies ML-DSA-44 as the signature scheme under consideration and includes an implementation branch for the proposed changes.

The roadmap schedules a post-quantum migration study for the first half of 2027. Development, code review, and security audits will follow in late 2027 or 2028. The Foundation estimates that the work will require 640 development hours and 400 hours of Ripple engineering review, alongside an estimated $215,000 to $255,000 in additional implementation costs.

However, the proposal has not yet become an active network upgrade. The Foundation still needs to complete the migration study and subsequent development and review work before the network can implement the changes.

The initiative represents an important part of Ripple’s longer-term security strategy. By preparing the XRP Ledger for quantum-resistant cryptography, Ripple aims to protect user accounts and maintain the network’s security as computing technology advances.