XRP Ledger Outlines Zero-Fee Plan Shielding Accounts From Quantum Computing

TL;DR

• Quantum Security: XRP Ledger is exploring a quantum-resistance upgrade that would allow account holders to add a new quantum-secure signing key.
• Zero-Fee Approach: The proposal uses the ML-DSA-44 signature scheme approved by NIST in 2024. Protected transactions would require more storage space.
• Development Roadmap: Development work is ongoing, including compatibility fixes and validator testing. The quantum security initiative is part of the Foundation’s roadmap.
  

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The XRP Ledger Foundation has outlined a proposal designed to protect user accounts from future quantum computing threats without increasing transaction costs. Included in the network’s updated roadmap, the plan would allow users to adopt a quantum-resistant signing method and deactivate their existing key. The initiative aims to address a long-term security risk that could emerge once sufficiently powerful quantum computers become available.

New Quantum-Resistant Security Design

Under the proposed framework, XRP Ledger users would be able to attach a quantum-resistant key to their accounts and then switch off their existing key. Once the original key is disabled, the attack route associated with the exposed public key would effectively be closed. The design relies on ML-DSA-44, a digital signature scheme approved by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2024 for protection against quantum attacks. By integrating this technology, the XRP Ledger aims to provide a long-term security option for accounts that may remain active through the arrival of practical quantum computing systems.

Larger Transactions Without Higher Fees

The new signatures require considerably more data than those currently used on the XRP Ledger. According to the Foundation’s research, the combined key and signature size reaches 3,732 bytes, compared with roughly 105 bytes for a standard payment today. That additional data increases storage requirements.

A protected transaction would consume approximately 5,331 bytes when history and database overhead are considered, compared with a current baseline of 1,704 bytes. Despite the increase, the XRP Ledger proposal keeps transaction fees unchanged. Because fees on the network are destroyed rather than distributed to operators, the added storage burden would be absorbed by those running the infrastructure.

Roadmap Progress Toward 2028

The XRP Ledger initiative remains in development. Engineers are currently addressing differences between prototype implementations that can produce different keys from the same seed. Testing involving validators has also yet to be published. The roadmap allocates between $215,000 and $255,000 for review and auditing of the amendment, along with 640 development hours.

Across all 24 planned amendments, the broader XRP Ledger roadmap carries a budget ranging from roughly $5 million to nearly $6 million. The Foundation expects migration research in 2027, with development and auditing planned afterward as the XRP Ledger ecosystem advances toward a targeted quantum transition by 2028.