Post-Quantum Cryptography for Normal People - What Should You Be Doing Now

[Shane]

The Coinbase advisory board report says quantum cryptography threat preparation needs to start now even though the threat is not here yet. This applies beyond crypto. Any system relying on RSA or elliptic curve cryptography for long-term security is theoretically on a clock.

But most people are not cryptographers. What does post-quantum awareness actually mean for an ordinary person or small business in 2026?

[NeutrinoX]

For most individuals right now: nothing urgent. The threat is a decade or more out by most estimates, and by the time it materialises your phone and browser will have been updated. This is an infrastructure problem not a personal one yet

[MJF_Fan]

For anyone with long-term secrets that need to remain confidential for 20 plus years, the answer is different. State actors may already be harvesting encrypted data to decrypt later

[Dank]

The most practical thing small businesses can do is make sure they are running software that gets regular security updates. Post-quantum algorithms are being standardised by NIST and will roll out through normal update channels

[RomanReigns02]

If you hold significant Bitcoin in addresses that have exposed public keys on chain, moving to fresh addresses is not a bad idea regardless of quantum

[Jedi Stuart]

The NIST post-quantum cryptography standards were finalised in 2024. Check whether the software and services you rely on have committed to implementing them

[Slay40]

For anyone using VPNs or secure messaging, check whether your provider is already implementing hybrid classical and post-quantum key exchange. Signal and some others have started this

[WaveFunction34]

The harvest now decrypt later threat is the most credible near-term concern. For most people this is not a realistic threat model but for some it is