Trump signs executive orders to speed quantum computing and post-quantum encryption

President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on June 22 that accelerate both U.S. quantum computing development and the federal shift to post-quantum cryptography, while also drawing fresh attention from crypto-industry researchers focused on quantum risks to blockchains. One order creates the Quantum Computer for Application Development and Discovery Science effort, or QC-ADDS, and directs the Department of Energy to define technical specifications within 90 days and assess costs, partnerships and delivery timelines within 180 days for at least one quantum machine capable of scientific applications beyond existing classical computers. The order also calls for five-year operational plans for quantum-enabled sensors and networks from the Secretaries of Commerce, Defense and Energy and the NASA Administrator. The second order requires federal high-value assets and high-impact civilian systems to adopt post-quantum cryptography for key establishment by Dec. 31, 2030, and for digital signatures by Dec. 31, 2031, while excluding national security systems from those civilian deadlines. Project Eleven CEO Alex Pruden said the orders could help accelerate quantum-secure blockchain research because they extend requirements through the federal contractor base via changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulation and explicitly point to NIST-standardized algorithms such as ML-KEM, ML-DSA and SLH-DSA. He said that could favor NIST-aligned approaches even as some blockchain protocols explore non-NIST schemes, and added that proposals such as BIP-360 are among the developments to watch for Bitcoin. The tighter federal timetable has renewed attention on crypto markets because millions of bitcoins with exposed public keys could theoretically be vulnerable to a sufficiently powerful quantum computer. Project Eleven has argued that “Q-Day” could come as early as 2030 and put about 6.9 million bitcoins at risk, broadly in line with other estimates that place exposed supply near 7 million BTC. Analysts say the larger challenge for Bitcoin may be coordinating users to migrate funds to safer address types and adopt more flexible, or “crypto agile,” cryptographic systems before fault-tolerant quantum hardware arrives.