XRP may carry lower exposure to quantum computing threats than bitcoin, according to recent expert analysis comparing how each network’s architecture and user behavior affect vulnerability to future cryptographically relevant quantum computers (CRQCs).
The comparison gained traction after blockchain researcher Vet posted on April 7, 2026 that roughly 300,000 XRP accounts holding 2.4 billion XRP have never transacted, meaning their public keys remain unknown and therefore quantum safe. On the bitcoin side, a Chaincode research report estimated that CRQCs could enable the theft of approximately 6.26 million BTC.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- About 300,000 XRP accounts holding 2.4 billion XRP have never exposed their public keys, keeping them quantum safe by default.
- Chaincode estimates 20% to 50% of circulating bitcoin, or roughly 4 million to 10 million BTC, has exposed public keys vulnerable to future quantum attacks.
- Both networks still face long-term pressure to adopt post-quantum cryptography; lower relative exposure does not mean zero risk.
The claim that XRP is less exposed than bitcoin is a comparative inference drawn from separate analyses of each network rather than a single official cross-chain benchmark. It reflects differences in how each ledger handles keys and addresses, not a blanket safety guarantee for either asset.
How key exposure differs between XRP and bitcoin
Quantum threats to blockchains center on one vulnerability: when a public key is visible on-chain, a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could derive the corresponding private key. The critical factor is not the blockchain itself but whether individual accounts have exposed their public keys through transactions.
On the XRP Ledger, Vet noted that the network is account-based and allows signing key rotation, meaning users can rotate signing keys without switching accounts. This design means accounts that have never sent a transaction keep their public keys hidden, and active accounts can periodically rotate keys to limit exposure windows.
Bitcoin’s architecture creates different exposure patterns. The Chaincode report estimated that between 20% and 50% of bitcoin in circulation, approximately 4 million to 10 million BTC, sits in addresses where public keys are already exposed. Much of this stems from early bitcoin usage patterns, where pay-to-public-key (P2PK) formats and address reuse left keys permanently visible on-chain. Previous reporting on old bitcoin whale wallet movements has highlighted how long-dormant holdings from bitcoin’s early years remain tied to legacy address formats.
User behavior shapes exposure more than protocol design
Vet’s analysis found that only two dormant large-holding XRP accounts with a combined 21 million XRP have exposed public keys. That narrow exposure contrasts sharply with bitcoin, where Chaincode’s upper estimate of vulnerable supply reaches $650 billion at the time of the report’s writing.
The difference is partly structural. XRP’s account model and key rotation capability give users a built-in mechanism to reduce exposure. Bitcoin’s UTXO model does not natively support key rotation for existing addresses, so coins sent to already-exposed addresses remain vulnerable unless moved to fresh ones. Efforts to improve quantum-safe bitcoin protections without consensus changes are being explored but remain early-stage.
Both networks still face long-term quantum risk
Lower relative exposure does not equal immunity. If quantum computing capabilities advance to the point where CRQCs become practical, both XRP and bitcoin would face pressure to migrate to post-quantum cryptographic schemes.
The XRP Ledger community is already working on this. XRPLF Standards Discussion #295 outlines a proposal to add Dilithium-based quantum-resistant signatures and an lsfForceQuantum account flag. The implementation is under active development, which would give XRP users a path to opt in to quantum-safe signing before any threat materializes.
On the regulatory side, NIST and broader government guidance point toward deprecating vulnerable elliptic-curve cryptography by 2030 and disallowing it by 2035. That timeline raises urgency for post-quantum migration planning across all crypto networks, regardless of current exposure levels. As discussions around bitcoin’s foundational design choices continue, the quantum question adds another dimension to how both communities think about long-term resilience.
XRP traded at $1.34 with a market capitalization of roughly $82.3 billion at the time of writing, while market-wide sentiment sat at 16 on the Fear & Greed Index, deep in “Extreme Fear” territory.
The expert assessment framing XRP as less exposed than bitcoin to quantum threats reflects real architectural and behavioral differences between the two networks. But both remain built on classical cryptography that quantum computers could eventually break, and neither has yet deployed a production-grade post-quantum upgrade.
Additional source references: github.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Cryptocurrency and digital asset markets carry significant risk. Always do your own research before making decisions.
