The digital asset industry is taking a significant step toward the quantum era. The Responsible Fintech Institute (RFI) and Safeheron have announced the launch of a cross-regional pilot project aimed at testing post-quantum cryptography in real transaction scenarios. Representatives from the banking sector and regulators from several jurisdictions have already joined the initiative.
The Essence of the Experiment
The main objective of the pilot is to verify how well quantum-resistant infrastructure can ensure reliable wallet generation and digital asset transfers. Safeheron serves as the technology partner, while RFI takes on the coordination of participants, process management, and ensuring cross-jurisdictional interaction.
The technical foundation of the program is a 2-of-2 MPC protocol integrated with support for the ML-DSA-65 digital signature standard, which complies with the NIST FIPS 204 specification. The trials will be conducted on the quantum-resistant NEAR testnet, where researchers will test wallet generation and on-chain transfers. Particular attention is paid to tests for cross-border compatibility, operational resilience, and compliance with governance requirements.
Participants and Stages
Among the participants are regulators from Abu Dhabi Global Market, the Financial Services Authority of Gelephu (Bhutan), and the Malta Financial Services Authority. The financial side is represented by Bison Bank and DK Bank. In the first stage, government entities will act as observers, while in the second stage, they will become involved in governance and decision-making matters.
Upon completion of the testing, the organizers plan to publish a white paper with a detailed description of the research, the protocol architecture, and the results obtained. Moreover, they have stated their intention to open-source the underlying technology for independent audit and subsequent industry use.
Why This Matters
The launch of the pilot is directly linked to the need for early preparation of critical financial infrastructure for the transition to post-quantum cryptography. The project aims to demonstrate how such solutions perform within regulated financial organizations, which is crucial for future adoption.
Earlier, in August, the crypto bank Anchorage Digital already presented its own strategy for protecting institutional assets from quantum threats, confirming a growing trend in the industry.
My comment: The RFI and Safeheron initiative is a timely and pragmatic step. The market often underestimates the threat of quantum computing, viewing it as a matter for the distant future. However, infrastructure preparation is a lengthy and costly process. Testing with the involvement of regulators and banks is not just a technical check, but an important signal to the entire industry that action is needed now, rather than waiting until the problem becomes irreversible.