Post-Quantum Cryptography PQC
NIST’s Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) project leads the national and global effort to secure electronic information against the future threat of quantum computers—machines that may be years or decades away but could eventually break many of today’s widely used cryptographic systems. Through a multi-year international competition involving industry, academia, and governments, NIST released the principal three PQC standards in 2024 and is developing additional standards to serve as backups or alternatives. Organizations should begin applying these standards now to migrate their systems to quantum-resistant cryptography.
Alongside these standards, NIST conducts foundational cryptographic research; collaborates with industry and federal partners to guide organizations preparing for PQC migration; and administers the Cryptographic Module Validation Program to promote validated, trustworthy cryptography. These efforts both protect data and information systems and sustain U.S. leadership in quantum information science and cryptographic innovation.
PQC Standards
In August 2024, NIST released its principal PQC standards (as Federal Information Processing Standards, or FIPS), specifying key establishment and digital signature schemes based on candidates evaluated and selected through this multi-year process.