The XRP Ledger has taken the first serious step into the post-quantum era. The company's AlphaNet has deployed dilithium-based encryption. This is designed to protect against future attacks from quantum computers that could someday invalidate current digital signatures.
The statement said developers can now create quantum-resistant accounts and conduct transactions secured by the new algorithm.
This upgrade puts XRP ahead of Bitcoin and most other major blockchains. Bitcoin developers acknowledge that the transition to a similar standard will be a marathon, not a sprint. Casa co-founder Jameson Ropp estimates that adapting the entire Bitcoin network could take at least five to 10 years, as all nodes, wallets, and stored coins would need to be adjusted and migrated to the new crypto rules.
😳If you want to see what a fully quantum-proofed XRP Ledger with consensus (!!) feels like, check out this testnet.
One of the drawbacks of these quantum proof encryptions is the size of the signature.
Left – Payment in Quantum XRPL
Correct – Current XRPL mainnet payments https://t.co/1TC1HB1pQV pic.twitter.com/gjAeLgfXja— Veterinarian (@Vet_X0) December 24, 2025
Quantum computing is still in its infancy, but once it gains the power to challenge modern cryptography, Satoshi Nakamoto's old wallet containing 1.1 million BTC worth nearly $98 billion could become vulnerable. Ropp and his colleagues suggest freezing vulnerable coins to prevent a catastrophic breach.
XRP denies “Q-Day”
Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has warned that even if the post-quantum transition is successful, there could be costs such as decreased performance and increased transaction fees. XRP's test network currently provides a real-world example of how these tradeoffs play out.
As it stands, the XRP Ledger could become the first major blockchain to demonstrate that quantum-secure infrastructure is not only possible, but operational, long before Bitcoin begins its own transition.
If this test stands up to heavy use, we can expect to see pressure on other chains to publish their timelines, reorienting the XRP narrative from speed to security and drawing in developers and institutions around the world faster.
