The emergence of quantum computing has sparked concerns about the security of legacy blockchains. Experts suggest that XRP's architecture may be more resilient to quantum threats than Bitcoin's.
XRP operates on the XRP Ledger, an open-source, decentralized blockchain used by Ripple for cross-border transactions. A key difference lies in the exposure of public keys, which can be reverse-engineered by a powerful quantum computer using Shor's algorithm, potentially draining funds.
However, XRP's design and features such as key rotation and escrow with time locks may offer additional protection. A recent audit found that around 300,000 XRP accounts, holding 2.4 billion XRP, have never sent funds and thus remain quantum-safe. In contrast, Bitcoin's blockchain is considered more vulnerable, with a significant portion of its supply potentially at risk due to the lack of a key rotation feature and the use of P2PK format in early mining. While Bitcoin developers are exploring quantum resistance, the current structural differences may leave XRP holders less exposed to quantum computer threats.