On August 23, 2026, the Responsible Fintech Institute convened a pilot consortium to stress‑test post‑quantum cryptography in institutional digital‑asset workflows. The group performed wallet generation and on‑chain transfer simulations on NEAR Protocol’s quantum‑resistant testnet, using a multi‑party computation (MPC) protocol based on the NIST FIPS 204 ML‑DSA‑65 lattice‑based digital signature standard.
What the pilot tests
The consortium evaluated a non‑custodial 2‑of‑2 MPC design, meaning both parties must participate in each signing event and no single party holds a complete private key. The underlying signature scheme, ML‑DSA‑65, is one of the post‑quantum standards finalized by NIST.
Key participants
Technology firm Safeheron leads development of the MPC protocol and the ML‑DSA‑65 signing application. Banking institutions Bison Bank and DK Bank are among the participants, while regulators from the Abu Dhabi Global Market and the Malta Financial Services Authority also took part, giving the pilot a cross‑jurisdictional scope.
Context and significance
NEAR Protocol announced its post‑quantum direction in May 2026, selecting ML‑DSA as its initial quantum‑safe signature scheme. The August pilot moves the project from protocol design to real‑world testing with financial institutions. The consortium aims to gather operational data on wallet generation latency, signing performance, and cross‑jurisdictional workflows, providing practical insight ahead of any regulatory requirement.
Safeheron has committed to open‑source the MPC code and publish a whitepaper on the pilot’s findings, potentially enabling broader industry adoption of quantum‑resistant solutions.
