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Stellar XLM is moving toward quantum resistance, but the transition is not yet complete. On June 9, 2026, the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) published its Quantum Preparedness Plan, outlining a three-stage roadmap for updating the network’s cryptography.
The plan is structured in three stages.
Stage 1 begins in 2026 and adds post-quantum signature verification to Soroban, Stellar’s smart contract platform, as native host functions. The initial supported schemes are ML-DSA-44 and ML-DSA-65, both NIST-finalized standards from 2024.
SDF says enterprises can start moving to quantum-safe contract accounts this year using Soroban’s account abstraction.
Stage 2 is scheduled for 2027. It introduces quantum-safe signers to standard accounts through the existing set_options operation. Wallets, SDKs, and anchors will need updates to support the new key types.
Stage 3 will deprecate Ed25519 entirely, though SDF has not set a firm activation date. The timing will depend on how quickly quantum computing advances over the coming years.
SDF argues Stellar’s architecture supports a cleaner migration than many competing blockchains. The network separates account identity from signing keys, meaning the G address remains unchanged while keys rotate.
In practice, users can add a quantum-safe signer and remove the old Ed25519 key without moving balances or updating every linked system.
At the same time, SDF highlights a specific exposure: Stellar addresses encode the Ed25519 public key directly. By contrast, Bitcoin and Ethereum use hashed address formats.
The plan notes that every Stellar address, including dormant accounts that have never signed a transaction, is already exposed. SDF frames this as increasing the urgency of the shift to quantum resistance, even though the migration mechanics are comparatively straightforward.
The plan cites a narrowing threat window. In early 2026, INRIA researchers reported that breaking 256-bit elliptic curves would require roughly 1,193 logical qubits, down 44% from earlier estimates.
NIST has moved the danger threshold for “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks to 2029, and Google—described as both building quantum hardware and funding leading researchers—has set the same internal deadline.
The broader crypto industry is also taking steps, including:
The plan also points to regulatory frameworks pushing financial infrastructure toward post-quantum standards, including CNSA 2.0 in the US and DORA in the EU.
SDF says some questions remain. When Ed25519 is deprecated, dormant accounts whose owners cannot be reached will require a community decision.
It also notes that zero-knowledge protocols on the network rely on pairing-based cryptography that faces the same quantum vulnerability, and that there is no drop-in fix yet available. SDF plans to convene ZK teams building on Stellar to address the gap collectively.
For XLM holders, SDF states no immediate action is needed. It says Stellar’s SHA-256 hashing is already considered post-quantum secure.
Finally, SDF describes the signature upgrade as an opt-in process over the next 18 months, providing users and institutions a structured preparation window.
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