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Quantum and Post-Quantum Blockchain: A Systematic Survey

This comprehensive survey provides an exhaustive literature review of the intersection between quantum mechanics and distributed ledger technology as of 2026. T

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Abstract

This comprehensive survey provides an exhaustive literature review of the intersection between quantum mechanics and distributed ledger technology as of 2026. The authors categorize current quantum-resilient approaches into pre-quantum legacy systems and post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) implementations. The survey evaluates the efficiency of various signature schemes, such as XMSS and SPHINCS+, in the context of on-chain verification performance and storage overhead. It further analyzes the trade-offs between security levels and bandwidth requirements for block propagation in a quantum-secure environment. The paper concludes with a roadmap for transitioning current networks to quantum-safe stateful and stateless signature schemes, emphasizing the need for standardized PQC algorithms that minimize impact on throughput and latency. Authors: Ruwanga Konara, Awansika Nimuthumana, Asanka Sayakkara, Anuradha Mahasinghe, Kasun De Zoysa Publication: IACR ePrint Archive Publication date: 2026-01-01

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Key findings

  • Transitioning to post-quantum signatures increases data footprint on-chain significantly.
  • Stateful signature schemes offer higher efficiency but pose challenges in key management.
  • Systematic standardization is required for interoperability in quantum-safe DLTs.
  • Performance degradation is a critical barrier to widespread PQC adoption.

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Citation

Ruwanga Konara, Awansika Nimuthumana, Asanka Sayakkara, Anuradha Mahasinghe, Kasun De Zoysa (2026). Quantum and Post-Quantum Blockchain: A Systematic Survey. IACR ePrint Archive. https://eprint.iacr.org/2026/1017
Canonical knowledge ID: research:quantum-and-post-quantum-blockchain-a-systematic-survey