Google has set a 2029 deadline for migrating its systems to post-quantum cryptography, citing rapid advances in quantum computing hardware and encryption-breaking estimates. Major cryptocurrency networks, including Ethereum and Solana, are also pursuing quantum-resistant upgrades, while debate continues within the Bitcoin ecosystem about the urgency and necessity of such changes.
Google announced a 2029 deadline for its post-quantum cryptography migration. The company stated rapid progress in quantum computing hardware and updated estimates of how quickly a quantum machine could break today’s encryption standards have heightened the urgency.
“It’s our responsibility to lead by example and share an ambitious timeline. By doing this, we hope to provide the clarity and urgency needed to accelerate digital transitions not only for Google, but also across the industry.” Google said quantum computers pose a significant threat to current cryptographic standards, specifically to encryption and digital signatures. This timeline is earlier than some industry estimates for Q-Day, the point at which quantum computers become powerful enough to break current public-key encryption.
The Ethereum Foundation launched a “Post-Quantum Ethereum” resource hub focused on protecting the blockchain from future quantum threats. The team plans to implement quantum-resistant solutions at the protocol level by 2029.
In January 2025, Solana developers created a quantum-resistant vault on its blockchain to protect user funds by implementing a complex hash-based signature system. However, users need to store funds in specific Winternitz vaults rather than regular wallets, as it is not a network-wide upgrade.
There is increasing division in the Bitcoin ecosystem on what action developers should take. Blockstream CEO Adam Back says quantum risks are widely overstated and no action is needed for decades. Security researcher Ethan Heilman and others have proposed a new output type called Pay-to-Merkle-Root through Bitcoin Improvement Proposal 360 (BIP-360) to protect addresses from potential quantum attacks. Heilman stated that implementation may take seven years.
