Algorand picks a fight with a future it can't see yet 🛡️

The Algorand Foundation said Thursday it intends to make its blockchain resistant to quantum-computing attacks by the end of 2027, releasing a roadmap that covers user accounts, wallets and core network infrastructure. The proposal adds Algorand to a growing list of major blockchain projects preparing for a future in which quantum machines could break the cryptography securing billions of dollars in digital assets.

"Algorand's roadmap reflects a belief that security should be designed for the future," Algorand Foundation CTO Bruno Martins wrote. "With the first milestones launching in 2026 and broad deployment targeted for the end of 2027, Algorand is taking concrete steps toward a future where users, developers, and institutions can build with confidence, today and in the decades ahead."

Martins said the foundation has been researching the issue for several years and does not treat the threat as theoretical. "The Foundation does not surrender to alarmism, however, because there is still uncertainty on the horizon, and committing blindly comes with serious compromises," he said.

According to the foundation, the plan introduces quantum-resistant accounts built on Falcon, a post-quantum digital signature scheme, and supports hybrid accounts that combine conventional and post-quantum signatures for use during the transition. The roadmap also covers upgrades to multisignature wallets and institutional custody systems, along with a replacement for the randomness-generating system that selects validators and alternatives to the network's current signatures. First upgrades are slated to begin rolling out in 2026, with broad deployment targeted by the end of 2027.

A quantum computer capable of breaking the cryptography used by Bitcoin, Ethereum and other major networks does not exist today, but Amazon, IBM and Google have said they aim to be quantum-resistant by 2030. On Thursday, Coinbase's quantum advisory council urged blockchain developers to begin preparation now, arguing that upgrades to Bitcoin, Ethereum and other networks should not wait for consensus on how to handle vulnerable or abandoned coins. In April, Algorand's token ($ALGO) surged more than 40% after Google cited the network in a real-world deployment of its quantum technology.