--- title: Is XRP Ledger quantum-safe? chain: XRP Ledger ticker: XRP hardy_score: 46.5 rank: 6 of 23 tier: "3: Committed" url: "https://hardyindex.com/chains/xrp-ledger" updated: 2026-08-11 methodology_version: 1.1 --- # Is XRP Ledger quantum-safe? **Hardy Score 46.5 / 100. Rank 6 of 23. Tier 3: Committed. As of 11 August 2026.** No, not today. The XRP Ledger signs transactions with secp256k1 or Ed25519, both of which a sufficiently large quantum computer would break. What the XRP Ledger does have is one of the most concrete published transition plans in this index. In April 2026 Ripple set out a four-phase roadmap targeting full post-quantum readiness by 2028: a Q-Day contingency plan that would stop the network accepting classical signatures and let holders prove ownership through post-quantum zero-knowledge proofs; experimentation with NIST-standardised algorithms through the first half of 2026, with ML-DSA already deployed on AlphaNet by a core engineer; hybrid post-quantum and elliptic-curve signatures on Devnet in the second half of 2026; and a native post-quantum amendment for network-wide deployment targeting 2028. None of that is on mainnet yet, which is why the XRP Ledger sits in Tier 3 rather than Tier 2. > This is a security-readiness assessment, not investment advice. ## Summary A dated four-phase roadmap targets full post-quantum transition by 2028, with ML-DSA already deployed on AlphaNet and a Q-Day contingency plan defined. ## Score breakdown | # | Dimension | Score | Weight | Contribution | |---:|---|---:|---:|---:| | 1 | Signature scheme | 0/10 | 30% | 0.0 | | 2 | Deployment stage | 5/10 | 25% | 12.5 | | 3 | NIST alignment | 9/10 | 15% | 13.5 | | 4 | Migration path | 9/10 | 15% | 13.5 | | 5 | Exposure | 3/10 | 10% | 3.0 | | 6 | Verification | 8/10 | 5% | 4.0 | | | **Hardy Score** | | | **46.5** | ### 1. Signature scheme: 0/10 Mainnet transactions are signed with secp256k1 or Ed25519 and nothing post-quantum protects live XRP. ML-DSA has been deployed on AlphaNet, which is a pre-Devnet test network, so no post-quantum signature guards funds on the public ledger. Source: https://ripple.com/insights/post-quantum-readiness-on-the-xrp-ledger/ ### 2. Deployment stage: 5/10 Tier 3: Committed. The roadmap is funded, staffed, phased and dated to 2028, and post-quantum work is running on test networks, but no post-quantum signature is live on mainnet. Source: https://ripple.com/insights/post-quantum-readiness-on-the-xrp-ledger/ ### 3. NIST alignment: 9/10 The roadmap explicitly commits to NIST-standardised quantum-resistant algorithms and names ML-DSA, which is finalised as FIPS 204, as the scheme already running on AlphaNet. This is a committed selection of a final standard rather than a survey of candidates. Source: https://ripple.com/insights/post-quantum-readiness-on-the-xrp-ledger/ ### 4. Migration path: 9/10 The strongest migration thinking in the index. Phase 1 defines a Q-Day response in which classical signatures stop being accepted and holders migrate using post-quantum zero-knowledge proofs of key ownership, so funds can be rescued without revealing a compromised key. Native key rotation already exists on the ledger, and the amendment process is a proven governance route for consensus changes. Source: https://ripple.com/insights/post-quantum-readiness-on-the-xrp-ledger/ ### 5. Exposure: 3/10 XRP Ledger accounts are derived from a hash of the public key, but the key is published in the transaction that first sends from the account, so any account that has transacted is exposed. Native key rotation gives holders a mitigation that most account-model chains lack. Source: https://ripple.com/insights/post-quantum-readiness-on-the-xrp-ledger/ ### 6. Verification: 8/10 rippled is open source, the roadmap is published with named phases, and the post-quantum work is being run with an external partner, Project Eleven, on validator-level testing, Devnet benchmarking and a post-quantum custody wallet prototype rather than in-house only. Source: https://ripple.com/insights/post-quantum-readiness-on-the-xrp-ledger/ ## Signature scheme - **On mainnet today:** secp256k1 or Ed25519, selectable per account - **Post-quantum scheme:** ML-DSA under evaluation, deployed on AlphaNet; hybrid post-quantum and elliptic-curve signatures planned for Devnet - **NIST standard:** FIPS 204 (ML-DSA), finalised August 2024 - **Readiness tier:** Tier 3: Committed. A funded roadmap with public dates and active research exists, but no post-quantum signature is live on mainnet. ## Roadmap - **20 April 2026** (shipped): Ripple publishes a four-phase post-quantum roadmap for the XRP Ledger, targeting full readiness by 2028. Source: https://ripple.com/insights/post-quantum-readiness-on-the-xrp-ledger/ - **Phase 1** (in-progress): Post-quantum recovery and Q-Day readiness: a contingency under which classical public-key signatures would no longer be accepted, with post-quantum zero-knowledge proofs letting holders prove ownership and migrate without exposing keys. Source: https://ripple.com/insights/post-quantum-readiness-on-the-xrp-ledger/ - **Phase 2: first half of 2026** (in-progress): Formal experimentation with NIST-standardised algorithms, benchmarking signature size, verification cost and throughput under real XRPL workloads. ML-DSA deployed on AlphaNet; validator testing and custody prototypes with Project Eleven. Source: https://ripple.com/insights/post-quantum-readiness-on-the-xrp-ledger/ - **Phase 3: second half of 2026** (planned): Hybrid deployment of post-quantum and elliptic-curve signatures on Devnet, plus exploration of post-quantum primitives for zero-knowledge proofs and homomorphic encryption. Source: https://ripple.com/insights/post-quantum-readiness-on-the-xrp-ledger/ - **Phase 4: targeting 2028** (planned): A new amendment proposing native post-quantum cryptography for the XRPL, with network-wide deployment. Source: https://ripple.com/insights/post-quantum-readiness-on-the-xrp-ledger/ ## Exposure An XRP Ledger account address is derived from a hash of the account's public key, so a funded account that has never sent a transaction does not have its key on-chain. The key is published the first time the account signs, which means the large majority of economically active XRP is exposed. The ledger's native key rotation feature is a meaningful mitigation that most account-model chains do not offer: an account can be reassigned to a new signing key without moving funds, which becomes the migration primitive if the roadmap's post-quantum amendment lands. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is XRP Ledger quantum-safe? No, not today. The XRP Ledger signs transactions with secp256k1 or Ed25519, both of which a sufficiently large quantum computer would break. What the XRP Ledger does have is one of the most concrete published transition plans in this index. In April 2026 Ripple set out a four-phase roadmap targeting full post-quantum readiness by 2028: a Q-Day contingency plan that would stop the network accepting classical signatures and let holders prove ownership through post-quantum zero-knowledge proofs; experimentation with NIST-standardised algorithms through the first half of 2026, with ML-DSA already deployed on AlphaNet by a core engineer; hybrid post-quantum and elliptic-curve signatures on Devnet in the second half of 2026; and a native post-quantum amendment for network-wide deployment targeting 2028. None of that is on mainnet yet, which is why the XRP Ledger sits in Tier 3 rather than Tier 2. ### Is XRP quantum-safe? No. XRP Ledger transactions are signed with secp256k1 or Ed25519, both of which are broken by Shor's algorithm on a sufficiently large quantum computer. Ripple has published a four-phase roadmap targeting full post-quantum readiness by 2028, but no post-quantum signature protects XRP on mainnet today. ### What is Ripple's timeline for making the XRP Ledger quantum-resistant? Four phases, targeting 2028. Phase 1 is a Q-Day contingency plan. Phase 2, covering the first half of 2026, is experimentation with NIST-standardised algorithms and validator testing. Phase 3, in the second half of 2026, puts hybrid post-quantum and elliptic-curve signatures on Devnet. Phase 4, targeting 2028, proposes a native post-quantum amendment for network-wide deployment. ### What happens to XRP holders if quantum computers arrive early? Phase 1 of the roadmap is designed for exactly that. Under the Q-Day response plan, the network would stop accepting classical public-key signatures, and post-quantum zero-knowledge proofs would let existing account holders prove ownership and migrate their funds to quantum-safe accounts without exposing their keys, even in a compromised environment. ### Who is Project Eleven and what is their role? Project Eleven is an external partner Ripple named in the roadmap for validator-level testing, Devnet benchmarking and a post-quantum custody wallet prototype. Their involvement means the work is not being done inside Ripple alone, which is why the XRP Ledger scores 8 rather than lower on the verification dimension. ## What this rating means if you hold XRP Ledger Plain-language guidance from the same publication, with no product recommendation attached. - [Is my crypto safe from quantum computers?](https://hardyindex.com/guides/is-my-crypto-safe-from-quantum-computers.md) - [How to protect your crypto from quantum computers](https://hardyindex.com/guides/how-to-protect-crypto-from-quantum-computers.md) - [All guides](https://hardyindex.com/guides.md) Nothing on this profile is sponsored and nothing on it is an affiliate link. See https://hardyindex.com/how-we-make-money.md. ## Sources 1. [Post-Quantum Readiness on the XRP Ledger](https://ripple.com/insights/post-quantum-readiness-on-the-xrp-ledger/): Ripple (primary, checked 11 August 2026) 2. [FIPS 204: Module-Lattice-Based Digital Signature Standard (ML-DSA)](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/fips/204/final): NIST (primary, checked 11 August 2026) 3. [Ripple Unveils Four-Phase Roadmap to Make the XRP Ledger Quantum-Resistant by 2028](https://unchainedcrypto.com/ripple-unveils-four-phase-roadmap-to-make-the-xrp-ledger-quantum-resistant-by-2028/): Unchained (secondary, checked 11 August 2026) --- Methodology: https://hardyindex.com/methodology (v1.1). Cite as: The Hardy Index, "XRP Ledger", https://hardyindex.com/chains/xrp-ledger, as of 11 August 2026.