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multiple blockchain and post-quantum cryptography researchers have warned that artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating the development of quantum computing and could potentially impact the security systems of mainstream blockchains, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, earlier than anticipated.Alex Pruden, CEO of Project Eleven, a firm focused on quantum-resistant infrastructure, stated that the combination of AI and quantum computing is fundamentally reshaping the future security landscape. "People will no longer be able to rely on existing security assumptions as they have in the past," he said.Researchers point out that AI is already being used to optimize quantum error correction, which is one of the key technical bottlenecks in the development of quantum computing. Illia Polosukhin also noted that AI has been accelerating scientific breakthroughs for years, and in the future, there may even be a circular acceleration effect where "AI helps build the next generation of quantum computers."One of the industry's biggest current concerns is the "Harvest Now, Decrypt Later" strategy, where governments or advanced attackers begin mass-collecting encrypted data now, waiting to decrypt it all at once once quantum computing matures. Polosukhin warned that if quantum computers become viable within a few years, "most of today's important data on the internet could be decrypted in the future."Given that most blockchain networks and internet infrastructure currently rely on elliptic curve cryptography (ECC), a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could theoretically derive a private key from a public key, directly breaking wallets and on-chain systems. Simultaneously, AI itself is strengthening hacking capabilities. Pruden stated that AI models are becoming increasingly adept at discovering software vulnerabilities and cryptography implementation flaws, and may even be able to crack some encryption algorithms directly in the future.However, AI is also being used by developers for code auditing, formal verification, and testing post-quantum security systems, creating a "long-term security arms race" with simultaneous upgrades on both the offensive and defensive sides. Researchers believe the most significant change brought by AI and quantum computing together is that the core assumption of "long-term cryptographic reliability" in the digital age is being challenged. Future security systems may shift from "static upgrades" to continuous dynamic evolution. (CoinDesk)
Quantum security company Project Eleven released a report stating that the "Q-Day" when quantum computing breaks encryption systems may arrive as early as 2030, and is more likely to occur around 2033.The report indicates that quantum capabilities may erupt in a "non-linear leap" rather than gradual evolution, presenting a scenario of "long periods of no change followed by sudden breakthroughs."In extreme cases, approximately 6.9 million Bitcoins (valued at over $560 billion) could be at risk. Currently, the industry has begun exploring countermeasures including timestamp proofs and mandatory migration.
According to Odaily, independent researcher Giancarlo Lelli was awarded the Q-Day Prize and 1 Bitcoin by quantum security startup Project Eleven for successfully cracking the encryption keys protecting Bitcoin. Giancarlo Lelli utilized publicly available quantum hardware and a variant of Shor's algorithm to crack a 15-bit encryption key among 32,767 possibilities. The difficulty of this quantum attack is 512 times greater than the 6-bit key record set in September 2025. Project Eleven CEO Alex Pruden stated that the resource requirements for such attacks continue to decline, with approximately 6.9 million Bitcoins currently held in vulnerable static addresses, including 1 million Bitcoins owned by Satoshi Nakamoto. The Bitcoin network has proposed BIP-360 to introduce quantum-resistant address types, while platforms such as Ethereum, Ripple, and Tron have also begun releasing plans for transitioning to post-quantum defenses.
Ripple has unveiled a four-phase roadmap for post-quantum security on the XRP Ledger (XRPL), aiming to complete the full transition to a post-quantum signature system by 2028 at the latest. The roadmap includes: a Q-Day emergency migration mechanism; quantum risk assessment and testing of NIST-recommended algorithms in the first half of 2026; parallel integration of candidate post-quantum signature schemes on Devnet in the second half of 2026; and subsequent network-wide, large-scale cutover via an XRPL Amendment. Ripple stated it is already collaborating with Project Eleven on validator testing, Devnet benchmarking, and development of a custodial wallet prototype. It emphasized that assets are not under immediate threat today but must address the “harvest now, decrypt later” risk.
Odaily News Ripple has announced a phased roadmap, planning to advance the XRP Ledger towards a quantum-resistant upgrade by 2028. The plan includes formulating a "Quantum-Day" contingency plan to address potential sudden threats from quantum computing and will involve preliminary testing and validation in collaboration with Project Eleven. Ripple stated that this initiative aims to prepare in advance for the transition to post-quantum security, with the entire plan to be implemented in four phases:Phase 1: Q-Day Emergency Preparedness (Initiated). Establish a Quantum Day (Q-Day) emergency response mechanism. If existing classical cryptographic systems are suddenly compromised, the network will immediately stop accepting traditional public key signatures and enforce a mandatory migration to quantum-safe accounts.Phase 2: Risk Assessment & Algorithm Testing (First Half of 2026). Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the impact of post-quantum cryptography on the XRP Ledger's network performance, storage, and bandwidth. Collaborate with Project Eleven to perform validator-level testing and Devnet benchmarking, deploy the NIST-standardized ML-DSA quantum-safe signature scheme, and develop a prototype for a post-quantum custody wallet.Phase 3: Devnet Hybrid Integration (Second Half of 2026). Integrate candidate post-quantum signature schemes in parallel with existing elliptic curve signatures on the Developer Network (Devnet), allowing developers to test performance and system impact without affecting the mainnet. Simultaneously explore post-quantum zero-knowledge proof primitives and homomorphic encryption technologies for Confidential Transfers, to advance the privacy and compliance capabilities for tokenized real-world assets on the XRPL.Phase 4: Mainnet Full Upgrade (Target 2028). Submit a formal protocol Amendment. Upon approval through validator voting, natively enable full post-quantum cryptography on the mainnet. (Cointelegraph)