Post-quantum cryptography pilot for digital assets

On August 24, 2026, the Responsible Fintech Institute and Safeheron launched a cross-jurisdictional pilot to evaluate post-quantum cryptography (PQC) for digital asset transactions. The initiative brings together banks and regulators from multiple jurisdictions to test a multi-party computation (MPC) protocol supporting the NIST FIPS 204 digital signature standard (ML-DSA-65) on the NEAR testnet. Participants include regulators such as Abu Dhabi Global Market, Bhutan — Gelephu Financial Services Office, and Malta — Malta Financial Services Authority, along with banks Bison Bank and DK Bank. The pilot aims to assess cross-border interoperability, operational resilience, and governance considerations. Safeheron intends to open-source the PQC code, and the initiative plans to publish a whitepaper. This effort aligns with broader regulatory momentum, including the Singapore — Monetary Authority of Singapore and Association of Banks in Singapore's AI-Driven Cyber and Technology Risk Taskforce, and the Hong Kong — Hong Kong Monetary Authority's quantum readiness initiatives.