Trump Signs Quantum Orders, Sets 2030 Deadline for Shift to Post-Quantum Encryption

President Donald Trump signed two executive orders to boost quantum computing development and address the security threats posed by the technology.

The Block reported June 23 that Trump signed Executive Orders 14409 and 14411 a day earlier. The orders are titled "Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks" and "Ushering In the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation."

Executive Order 14409 focuses on the risk that large-scale quantum computers could render existing cryptographic systems obsolete. It directs federal agencies to transition critical information systems to post-quantum cryptography, or PQC, standards approved by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Under the order, the U.S. government must convert cryptographic key systems used in major systems to PQC by the end of 2030. It must also replace digital signature systems with PQC-based alternatives by the end of 2031. NIST is to begin pilot projects within 180 days and complete them by the end of 2027.

The move could also affect the digital-asset industry. Major blockchains such as Bitcoin and Ether currently rely on public-key cryptography, raising concerns that they could be exposed to security threats as quantum computing advances.

Coinbase's Quantum Computing Advisory Council recently estimated that about 7 million Bitcoin could be vulnerable to future quantum attacks. Security firm Project Eleven has also projected that so-called Q-Day, when modern cryptographic systems are broken, could arrive around 2030.

Executive Order 14411, meanwhile, sets out a roadmap to strengthen U.S. competitiveness in quantum technology. The order calls for developing quantum computers and quantum sensors, building supply chains, training specialized workers and expanding the use of quantum technology in scientific research and industry.