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Quantum Resistant Ledger QRL
Rank #305$1.23▲ +16.84%(24h)▲ +12.04%(7d)
24h Low $1.0524h High $1.23
Market Cap
$96.23M
24h Volume
$85.59K
Circulating
78.39M QRL
All-Time High
$3.87
Quantum Resistant Ledger Price Chart
Range: $1.01 — $1.78
February 25, 2026May 24, 2026
Key Metrics
Market Cap
$96.23M
Volume (24h)
$85.59K
Circulating Supply
78.39M QRL
Max Supply
105M QRL
Quantum Resistant Ledger Converter
Quantum Resistant Ledger Converter
QRL
$USD
1 QRL = $1.23
Quantum Resistant Ledger Historical Data
| All-Time High | $3.87 (January 9, 2018) |
| All-Time Low | $0.04117 (December 1, 2023) |
Where to Buy Quantum Resistant Ledger
About Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL)
What is Quantum Resistant Ledger?
Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL) is a blockchain designed to be secure against attacks from quantum computers. It launched its mainnet in June 2018 and uses the eXtended Merkle Signature Scheme (XMSS) for all transaction signing, replacing the elliptic-curve cryptography that underpins Bitcoin, Ethereum, and most other blockchains. XMSS is a hash-based signature scheme standardized by NIST and is widely considered safe from Shor's algorithm, the quantum algorithm that would break ECDSA.
The QRL project is not a fork of an existing chain. It was written from scratch with post-quantum security as the primary design goal. The native coin QRL is used for transaction fees, staking rewards, and on-chain governance participation.
QRL price today
QRL/USD and QRL/BTC trade on Bittrex, Gate.io, and a handful of smaller venues. Liquidity is modest relative to large-cap coins. The price on this page refreshes every 60 seconds.
Key factors that move the QRL price:
- Quantum computing news. Announcements of quantum computing milestones — particularly from Google, IBM, and NIST — often lift attention toward post-quantum assets.
- NIST post-quantum standards. When NIST releases new post-quantum cryptography standards, QRL is frequently cited as the most battle-tested live implementation.
- Bitcoin and Ethereum quantum vulnerability debate. Discussions in the broader crypto space about when quantum computers could break ECDSA create periodic interest in QRL.
- Network upgrade milestones. Protocol upgrades expanding smart-contract capability or staking features drive short-term volatility.
- BTC correlation. QRL is still driven by the broader market direction during macro crypto cycles.
Live data above is the source of truth. Analysis below uses levels visible at page load.
XMSS: post-quantum cryptography explained
Most blockchains sign transactions with ECDSA (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm) or EdDSA (Edwards-curve Digital Signature Algorithm). These rely on the mathematical difficulty of the elliptic-curve discrete logarithm problem. A sufficiently powerful quantum computer running Shor's algorithm could solve this problem and forge signatures, allowing an attacker to spend any public ECDSA or EdDSA address.
XMSS is different. It is a stateful hash-based signature scheme whose security reduces to the collision resistance of the underlying hash function (SHA-256 in QRL's case). Hash-function security is not threatened by Shor's algorithm or Grover's algorithm at practical key sizes. NIST included XMSS in its first post-quantum signature standard (NIST SP 800-208) in 2020.
FAQ
What is Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL)?
QRL is a blockchain built from scratch to resist attacks from quantum computers. It uses the eXtended Merkle Signature Scheme (XMSS) for all transaction signing, a NIST-standardized post-quantum signature algorithm based on hash functions rather than elliptic-curve cryptography. The mainnet launched in June 2018 and has operated continuously since.
Why do blockchains need quantum resistance?
Most blockchains use ECDSA or EdDSA for transaction signing. Both rely on the difficulty of the elliptic-curve discrete logarithm problem, which a sufficiently powerful quantum computer running Shor's algorithm could solve in polynomial time. Once that happens, an attacker could forge signatures and steal funds from addresses whose public keys are known — which includes all addresses that have spent before. Hash-based signatures like XMSS are not vulnerable to Shor's algorithm.
What is XMSS?
XMSS (eXtended Merkle Signature Scheme) is a stateful hash-based digital signature scheme. It uses a Merkle tree of one-time signature keys; each signing operation consumes one leaf of the tree. Security depends on the collision resistance of SHA-256, not on number-theoretic hardness assumptions. NIST standardized XMSS in SP 800-208 in 2020, making it one of the few post-quantum signature schemes with a formal government standard.
Is Bitcoin vulnerable to quantum computers?
Addresses that have spent before expose their public keys, which are vulnerable to Shor's algorithm if quantum computers reach sufficient scale. Addresses that have never spent keep their public keys hidden inside a hash, which provides an extra layer of protection. Estimates for when quantum computers could threaten 256-bit elliptic curves at scale range from 10 to 30-plus years, but the timeline is uncertain and depends on engineering progress.
What is Project Zond?
Project Zond is QRL's major protocol upgrade that adds EVM-compatible smart contract support with post-quantum signatures. It enables Solidity developers to deploy on QRL and introduces CRYSTALS-Dilithium as an additional post-quantum signature option alongside XMSS. Zond also completes the transition from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake.
Where can I buy QRL?
QRL is listed on Gate.io and Bittrex as the primary venues. Availability on tier-1 exchanges is limited. Always verify current listings before creating an account, as smaller exchange listings change frequently.
Is QRL proof-of-work or proof-of-stake?
QRL launched with proof-of-work mining in 2018 and ran a hybrid model for several years. Project Zond completes the transition to proof-of-stake. Under PoS, validators lock QRL as collateral to participate in block production and receive staking rewards.
Is QRL a good investment?
QRL is a long-horizon, thesis-driven investment. It addresses a real threat — quantum computing advances — with a live, functional product. Near-term risks include low liquidity, limited exchange availability, and an uncertain quantum timeline that keeps the use case niche. It suits investors who hold a view that post-quantum security will become essential within their investment horizon and who can tolerate small-cap volatility.
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