Google Sets 2029 Deadline for Post-Quantum Shift, Warns Quantum Threat Is Getting Closer

Highlights:

• Google plans to complete its shift to post-quantum cryptography by 2029.
• The company warned that quantum threats are getting closer and should not be ignored.
• Google said attackers could steal encrypted data now and decrypt it later.

Google has now set a firm deadline for the quantum era, and that is putting new focus on Bitcoin’s long-term security. On 25 March, the company said it aims to finish moving to post-quantum cryptography by 2029. It also warned that quantum computing is advancing faster than many expected, so the industry should no longer treat this risk as a far-off problem.

Quantum Threat No Longer a Distant Concern

The company said the decision follows recent advances in quantum computing hardware, quantum error correction, and new estimates for quantum factoring. Google made clear that this risk should no longer be treated as a distant issue. It said “quantum frontiers may be closer than they appear,” which is why it is now moving ahead with a more defined and faster migration plan.

🚨JUST IN: GOOGLE SETS 2029 DEADLINE AS QUANTUM THREAT LOOMS OVER BITCOIN

Google has set a 2029 deadline for post-quantum cryptography migration, warning quantum risks are approaching faster than expected.

The company says current encryption standards could eventually be… pic.twitter.com/LbGSmms3RQ

— BSCN (@BSCNews) March 26, 2026

Google Highlights Urgent Need for Post-Quantum Security Shift

Google warned that a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could eventually break the public-key cryptography that secures much of today’s internet, especially in encryption and digital signatures. The company also raised concerns about the “store now, decrypt later” threat, where attackers collect encrypted data today and wait for future quantum systems to break it. Google said this risk is one reason organizations should begin preparing now.

The company stated:

“The threat to encryption is relevant today with store-now-decrypt-later attacks, while digital signatures are a future threat that require the transition to PQC prior to a Cryptographically Relevant Quantum Computer (CRQC). That’s why we’ve adjusted our threat model to prioritize PQC migration for authentication services.”

Google Outlines Multi-Year Plan for Post-Quantum Security

Google said it will use 2026 to finish design work and start large-scale implementation planning for its post-quantum cryptography transition. Then, from 2027 to 2028, it will expand engineering and deployment efforts across its systems. The company expects to complete the main transition in 2029 and finish the broader migration by 2030. At the same time, Google said it is giving priority to authentication services because digital signatures help verify identities and approve actions across networks.

Google made clear that today’s systems have not already failed. Instead, it said the industry should start early because a transition of this scale takes years to complete. In that sense, Google is treating this move as both a security step for its own systems and a signal for the wider industry to prepare.

Live Testing Begins for Bitcoin’s Post-Quantum Protection Idea

That broader concern is already pushing some companies to test possible solutions for Bitcoin. BTQ Technologies, a quantum technology firm, has taken Bitcoin Improvement Proposal 360, or BIP 360, beyond the idea stage and into live testing. Recently, the company announced Bitcoin Quantum testnet v0.3.0, which it described as the first working implementation of the proposal.

JUST IN: A testnet for Bitcoin Improvement Proposal 360 has been deployed, which aims to strengthen Bitcoin against quantum 👀 pic.twitter.com/sftxdC2ttQ

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) March 19, 2026

Importantly, the upgrade is running on a separate blockchain rather than the main Bitcoin network. This allows developers, miners, and researchers to study the system in a safe testing environment without affecting real Bitcoin transactions. Through this testnet, BTQ aims to examine how BTC could protect transactions in the future if quantum computers become powerful enough to challenge today’s security systems.