Circle has published a new blog post highlighting Layer 1 blockchain Arc's roadmap for quantum resistance.

In the post, Circle urged institutions to examine post-quantum encryption standards, noting that Q-Day, when a quantum computer can break public-key cryptography, could come by 2030 or sooner. Google's blog poston quantum computing also warned that such a technology could break bitcoin sooner than thought.

The USDC issuer highlighted that risks exist even before Q-Day, as attackers are collecting data today to decrypt it once quantum computers become more powerful. 

"Circle is actively planning for these risks," the company said. "For banks, fintechs, other stablecoin issuers, RWA platforms, and global enterprises, long-term cryptographic durability is a baseline requirement that must be accounted for in infrastructure decisions being made today."

The blog post added that migrating all of bitcoin's UTXO to post-quantum wallets could take months if processed nonstop in a best-case scenario, and waiting too long before starting could lead to a rushed implementation.

Arc roadmap

Circle said its EVM-compatible network will launch with quantum-resistant features and a "well-defined game plan" for a full-stack resistance to such threats. Arc's public testnet launched in October 2025, with the mainnet launch expected later this year.

At mainnet launch, Arc will introduce a post-quantum signature scheme that enables users to create quantum-resistant wallets. This feature will not be forced, but rather offered as an option, Circle noted.

Following the launch, the network plans to extend quantum resistance to confidential financial information, including balances, recipients, and transaction data, through its privacy roadmap. It plans to do so by keeping sensitive material out of plaintext exposure and wrapping public keys in an additional encryption layer.

In the mid-to-long term, Circle said Arc will bring quantum resilience to the infrastructure surrounding the network and upgrade validator authentication to shut out quantum computing threats.

Circle stated that Arc seeks to offer a practical migration path to post-quantum computing without unnecessary disruption for both developers and institutions.

"Quantum resilience cannot live only in research papers, exploratory pilots, or distant roadmap slides," Circle wrote. "It has to show up in the infrastructure. That is the standard Arc aims to set: practical, resilient, and adaptable blockchain infrastructure for a post-quantum world."