James Stephens, Founder/CEO, Krown Technologies.
In today’s digital economy, data is the foundation of innovation—and quantum computing is rapidly emerging as both a powerful opportunity and a direct security threat. Advancements are accelerating us toward “Q-Day,” the point at which quantum computers will be capable of breaking the encryption that secures global systems.
As the founder and CEO of Krown Technologies Inc., I’ve dedicated my career to building the world’s largest blockchain ecosystem secured with post-quantum cryptography. My work across blockchain security, cryptographic governance and digital asset protection has provided firsthand insight into the scale of the quantum security challenge—and the urgency of addressing it.
Understanding The Quantum Threat
Quantum computers leverage the principles of superposition and entanglement to solve certain problems exponentially faster than classical machines. This makes widely used encryption methods—such as RSA and elliptic curve cryptography—vulnerable once quantum systems reach sufficient scale.
Industry research indicates that we are not far from this reality, and preparation is already underway across forward-leaning organizations. A 2025 data security report highlights that the combination of quantum capabilities, accelerating AI and sophisticated cyber operations creates a “triple threat” affecting finance, healthcare, infrastructure and beyond.
Meanwhile, adversaries are already employing “harvest now, decrypt later” (HNDL) strategies—capturing encrypted data today with the intent to decrypt it once quantum computing matures. U.S. policymakers have publicly recognized quantum as a national cybersecurity priority and are urging preparation across both government and industry.
Advancements In Quantum Encryption
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has finalized its first post-quantum cryptography (PQC) standards, selecting algorithms designed to withstand both classical and quantum attacks. In 2025, NIST added HQC to strengthen general encryption strategies. Adoption is advancing across federal agencies and private enterprises through crypto-agile architectures that enable seamless algorithm upgrades.
Alongside PQC, quantum key distribution (QKD) is gaining traction in high-security sectors, particularly telecommunications and defense. Organizations including Fortinet and Microsoft have launched quantum-safe initiatives to accelerate enterprise migration and strengthen resiliency.
The Shadow Of State Actors
Quantum development is not occurring evenly across the world. Nations such as China are investing heavily to gain strategic advantage in cyber operations and intelligence collection. The RAND Corporation has warned that U.S. and allied military systems must prepare, as quantum capabilities could compromise secure communications and national infrastructure.
The Thales 2025 Data Threat Report identifies quantum risk as a top emerging concern—and notes that AI-driven automation may accelerate the potential impact.
Strategic Imperatives For Tech Leaders
A 2025 ISACA study shows that many organizations still lack a quantum preparedness road map. Leaders can begin addressing the gap today:
1. Conduct Quantum Risk Assessments: At Krown, we run quarterly audits and simulate HNDL scenarios across validator nodes and blockchain utilities. A strong starting point is to identify where long-duration or mission-critical data is encrypted and prioritize protections accordingly.
2. Collaborate With Supply Chain Partners: In building our cold wallet and hot wallet solutions, we partnered with hardware and cryptography providers. Establishing shared PQC readiness across the vendor ecosystem is key.
3. Implement Crypto Agility: Our blockchain is designed with modular cryptographic libraries, enabling seamless adoption of new PQC standards. Enterprises outside blockchain can mirror this by ensuring encryption systems are swappable, not hard-coded.
4. Invest In QKD For Sensitive Networks: We are piloting QKD-secured validator communication channels to reinforce encryption layers. Organizations should evaluate QKD in their highest-sensitivity data flows.
5. Foster Talent And Partnerships: Krown operates a quantum task force and collaborates with universities, standards bodies and the Forbes Technology Council community. Internal champions and external expertise are the most sustainable models for readiness.
Conclusion
The quantum transition is already underway. Organizations that adopt PQC, QKD and hybrid cryptographic strategies today can protect their systems and position themselves for resilience in the post-quantum economy. The time to act is now—not once Q-Day arrives. Because when it does, there will be no grand entrance or announcements.
Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?