XRPL is the only chain in this batch that shipped full ML-DSA signatures on a public testnet with an IEEE paper to match. The interesting question is no longer can they, it is whether they activate the amendment on mainnet before the market gives them credit for a testnet.
Summary
XRPL is the most advanced L1 execution on PQ in the evaluated set. AlphaNet (Dec 2025) shipped full CRYSTALS-Dilithium (ML-DSA) signatures in a public testnet with IEEE-published paper. Amendment system makes mainnet rollout a governance vote rather than a fork. Caveat: AlphaNet is PQ-only, not hybrid — Ripple chose a retire-classical path over a parallel-run hybrid, which complicates the Hybrid Deployment Gate. Mainnet activation timeline not yet public.
What the gates say
- Hybrid: COND. AlphaNet deployed PQ-only not hybrid; hybrid gate requires classical-AND-PQ. Flag for policy discussion.
- Evidence: PASS. Sources reconstructable by third party.
- Primitive naming: PASS. Named primitives at every scored sub-level.
Burn-vs-rescue policy on file
rescue-favored via RegularKey rotation + amendment path; not yet ratified; LayerQu note: AlphaNet is PQ-only rather than hybrid, creating a classical-sig retirement path rather than parallel-run path
Seven dimensions
Each dimension scores 0-100 internally; the weighted roll-up produces the QRI on the left. Open a row to read the sub-score detail.
1 Cryptographic Exposure 55 / 100
AlphaNet (Dec 2025) deployed full CRYSTALS-Dilithium (ML-DSA) signatures — not hybrid, full PQ. IEEE paper published.
ECDSA secp256k1 (default) · Ed25519 (alternative) · ML-DSA / CRYSTALS-Dilithium (AlphaNet) · SHA-512/half (hashing)One PQ family deployed on testnet (AlphaNet); mainnet remains classical.
2 HNDL Exposure 25 / 100
~12 years mainnet; large active keys with static ECDSA. Ripple-controlled escrow significant.
Long-dormant XRP holders from 2013+ era.
Historical ECDSA sigs Shor-forgeable; AlphaNet path points toward rotation.
TLS; no PQ KEM in peer protocol yet.
3 Metadata & Privacy Exposure 30 / 100
Transparent ledger; RippleNet payment use case adds institutional context.
Ripple + Validator UNL concentration.
XRPL-EVM sidechain + Axelar bridges.
No shielded pools; transparent baseline.
4 Migration Architecture 68 / 100
Multi-algorithm signature support (secp256k1, Ed25519, ML-DSA via AlphaNet). Amendment system enables protocol-level scheme switch via validator vote.
RegularKey feature allows per-account signer rotation without losing account control; useful for migration.
Amendment system: dozens of amendments shipped via 80%/2wk supermajority vote. Mature coordination primitive.
AlphaNet (Dec 2025) shipped PQ-only (not hybrid); hybrid path possible. Published IEEE paper elevates credibility.
5 Deployment Execution 42 / 100
Zero mainnet PQC; AlphaNet is a dedicated testnet. Mainnet rollout not yet scheduled.
ML-DSA code merged into rippled AlphaNet branch — shipped, running, public.
AlphaNet validator set runs PQ code; mainnet UNL validators do not yet.
Milestones: (1) AlphaNet launch Dec 2025, (2) IEEE paper published, (3) ML-DSA merged into rippled, (4) public testnet signing ceremony, (5) RippleX PQ roadmap post.
Claims-vs-ship ratio ~1: Ripple announced AlphaNet and delivered it. Low washing.
6 Supply Chain Vendor Readiness 15 / 100
7 Governance & Coordination 65 / 100
~35 Unique Node List validators; Ripple-curated dUNL.
Amendment system = proven. Fast execution of AlphaNet PQ feature.
Named: David Schwartz (CTO), RippleX, Ripple Labs, XRPL Foundation.
SEC lawsuit (2020-2024) forced coordination without chain-level incident. Coordination intact under adversarial pressure.
The X + Y vs Z inequality
X (data shelf life): 5-12
Y (migration time): 2-4 (amendment system + AlphaNet precedent)
Z10 (10% CRQC year): 2036 · Z50 (50%): 2041
Verdict: X+Y < Z (safe).
Four-scenario grid
| Scenario | Value preserved | Privacy preserved |
|---|---|---|
| quantum never | 100% | 100% |
| arrives suddenly pre migration | 35% | 20% |
| arrives slowly post migration | 85% | 55% |
| arrives slowly mid migration | 60% | 35% |
Peers in the L1 profile
Order-book view of the 9 chains closest to XRP Ledger (XRPL) by QRI.
Public artifacts used for this scorecard
Each entry below is a sub-score citation. Clicking the link takes you to the public source. A third party should be able to reconstruct every number on this page from these URLs in 48 hours.
AlphaNet (Dec 2025) deployed full CRYSTALS-Dilithium (ML-DSA) signatures — not hybrid, full PQ. IEEE paper published.
Supply chain snapshot
A chain's supply chain cannot migrate faster than its slowest dependency. Zero PQC roadmaps in any of the four categories is a structural blocker, not a lagging indicator.
Analyst notes on the scoring
Stage 2 (Preparing) migrating toward Stage 3. Top deployment execution in batch after Starknet's FRI. Hybrid gate CONDITIONAL because Ripple chose PQ-only. If mainnet rollout happens this cycle, moves to Stage 3.
Scorecard metadata
- Profile: L1
- Scored: 2026-04-17 by
layerqu-v2-scoring-agent-5 - v1 reference:
chainscreen-v1-archive - QRI raw: 52 · after caps: 48
- Confidence interval: ±6
- PQC washing ratio: 1x
- Burn-vs-rescue: rescue-favored via RegularKey rotation + amendment path; not yet ratified; LayerQu note: AlphaNet is PQ-only rather than hybrid, creating a classical-sig retirement path rather than parallel-run path
Caps triggered
- mosca_cap_60 (5a mainnet=0 but testnet-deployed)
- aaronson_cap_preserved (PQ code merged and running)