The Stellar Development Foundation dropped its Quantum Preparedness Plan on June 9, laying out a structured three-stage roadmap to harden the XLM network against the looming threat of quantum computing.
The three-stage plan, explained
Stage 1, launching in 2026, introduces post-quantum signature verification algorithms as native host functions within Stellar’s Soroban smart contracts. The network will start supporting new cryptographic methods that quantum computers can’t crack, but it won’t force anyone to switch immediately.
Stage 2, targeted for 2027, takes things a step further by introducing new quantum-safe signer types through opt-in channels for existing accounts. Users and enterprises can voluntarily upgrade their signing mechanisms without being pushed into it.
Stage 3 will deprecate Ed25519, the current signing method used across the Stellar network, and the timeline for this phase will be synchronized with actual advancements in quantum computing capability.
