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World Quantum Readiness Day, observed every 4th Thursday of September, is a global call to action to prepare for the profound impact of quantum computing on data security. As quantum technology accelerates, existing encryption methods will become vulnerable, necessitating a shift to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC). Educate yourself on the risks, advocate for PQC adoption, and support initiatives driving quantum-safe solutions.
Want to sponsor World Quantum Readiness Day? Learn how
Expected World Quantum Readiness Day Deals
World Quantum Readiness Day focuses on critical awareness and strategic preparation rather than commercial deals. Organizations like NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) lead the charge in standardizing Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) to future-proof digital infrastructure, offering guidance and frameworks for implementation. Companies such as IBM, Google, and Microsoft actively invest in quantum-safe research and development, providing whitepapers, open-source tools, and enterprise solutions for organizations to begin their migration. Cybersecurity firms like Cloudflare and Sandbox AQ offer specialized tools and expertise to assess current vulnerabilities and implement robust PQC strategies. The day encourages participation in educational webinars, industry forums, and the adoption of new cryptographic standards to secure data against future quantum threats. Look for announcements from leading tech consortiums and government agencies regarding new guidelines and partnership opportunities to accelerate global quantum readiness. We will update this page with new initiatives and collaborative efforts as September approaches.
Platform Guide for World Quantum Readiness Day
Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #QuantumReadiness. Share insights on PQC adoption in your industry or host a virtual panel.
X/Twitter
Mention @NatlToday and use #QuantumReadiness. Join the conversation on the latest quantum security developments and policy discussions.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #QuantumReadiness. Share educational resources on data privacy and the quantum threat with your community.
World Quantum Readiness Day Hero
David Deutsch
History of World Quantum Readiness Day
Securing the future with PQC
The quantum threat is the Y2K of this IT generation. But unlike Y2K, today’s professionals face the uncertainty of working on a ticking clock that doesn’t have a set end date. We know quantum decryption is coming, but we don’t know when it will arrive. Each new advancement in quantum tells us we’re getting closer, but the exact moment a quantum computer attains the ability to break long-trusted encryption is impossible to guess—even for quantum computing engineers advancing the science.
With Y2K, engineers had a deadline to watch. The fact that a disaster was averted was due largely to the fact that IT organizations took action based on urgency. With quantum, though, the urgency has been lagging, because too many people think the breakthrough is too far off to worry about. It’s not.
Accelerations in quantum development continue to increase, with the power of quantum computers increasing substantially as private and public entities invest more resources into the promising field.
The good news is that solutions to security threats already exist for quantum. And like Y2K, if IT professionals act now, the damage from quantum attacks will be much smaller when the breakthrough happens. But first, people need to know what they’re up against and how to deploy PQC to protect sensitive data. World Quantum Readiness Day invites organizations, engineers, and IT professionals all around the world to get up to speed on quantum developments and start building quantum-safe technology into their systems now.
World Quantum Readiness Day timeline
Stephen Wiesner invents conjugate coding, a basis of the “qubit” (quantum bit) and quantum computing.
Richard Feynman first lectures on advantages in quantum computing, launching widespread interest in developing the theory and technology.
Peter Schor presents Schor’s algorithm, showing that quantum can factor massive numbers much more efficiently than classical computers, including the numbers that serve as the basis of modern digital cryptography like RSA and ECC.
IBM and Stanford jointly publish a paper demonstrating how a working quantum computer successfully used Schor’s algorithm to factor a real number for the first time.
D-wave, a private company, releases D-Wave One, the first commercially available quantum computer for public use.
IBM makes quantum computing access available through its cloud services.
The United States’ National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) sends out an open call for proposals on quantum-safe cryptography algorithms that can protect data against the increasing concerns about quantum decryption potential.
Google claims it has achieved quantum supremacy, marking the first point where quantum technology is powerful and efficient enough to be practical.
IBM announces it has also achieved quantum supremacy.
NIST announces the first four PQC algorithms that have passed multiple rounds of scrutiny and met the benchmarks for quantum security, making them worth standardizing as a recommendation for governments and private organizations.
PQC Labs is launched for testing PQC algorithms in real environments.
DigiCert inaugurates and sponsors World Quantum Readiness Day to increase awareness and spur action plans for protecting data against quantum decryption. Want to be a sponsor: learn how.
5 interesting facts about Quantum Mechanics
- The birthdate of Quantum Theory is December 14, 1900, when German physicist Max Planck presented his findings to the German Physical Society. This will make December 14, 2025, the Quasquicentennial of Quantum.
- Quantum computing is based in part on a quantum property called “entanglement,” where two particles behave in the exact same way at the same time, as if they were the same particle, even though they could be on opposite sides of the universe. Einstein called entanglement “Spooky Action at a Distance.”
- Another part of the foundation of quantum computing is “superposition,” where quantum objects exist in multiple states at the same time. This means, for example, an electron can exist in two places at once, and it can simultaneously behave as a wave and a particle. One of the most popular descriptions of physics comes from superposition — Shrödinger’s cat.
- Much of quantum mechanics continues to challenge and surprise scientists. Richard Feynman, one of the greatest physicists of the Modern Age, once said of his own profession, “I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics.”
- Despite incredible advancements in quantum mechanics, the answer to one of the greatest challenges in all of science remains elusive. Physicists so far have yet to find a “Theory of Everything” that fully explains how the Standard Model (Newton and Einstein) and the Quantum Model can function in the same universe — even though the math of each on its own seems to be nearly flawless.
Adopting a PQC Readiness Plan
Step one: Inventory your cryptographic assets
Start building a complete log of all your certificates, algorithms, and other crypto assets.
Step two: Prioritize security for crypto assets that need long-term protections
Rank your crypto assets to prioritize assets that produce signatures for long-term trust. These include roots of trust and firmware for long-lived devices.
Step three: Explore and test integrating PQC into your networks and systems
PQC standards are still being developed through NIST, but existing PQC tests will give you a better idea of how these algorithms will work and what it takes to get full security up and running in time for quantum threats.
Step four: Start building crypto agility into your processes
Once you have a sense of what’s in your asset library, you can build a plan that will allow you to respond quickly to threats as quantum continues to advance.
Read more about the process of developing quantum readiness.
World Quantum Readiness Day FAQs
When is World Quantum Readiness Day?
World Quantum Readiness Day 2026 falls on Thursday, September 24. This annual observance serves as a vital reminder for organizations and individuals to prepare for the coming quantum era and its impact on data security.
Why is quantum readiness important?
Quantum readiness is essential because future quantum computers will be powerful enough to break many of the encryption methods currently used to secure digital data, including sensitive government, financial, and personal information. Proactive preparation is necessary to prevent widespread data breaches.
How many organizations are preparing for quantum threats?
While exact numbers are still emerging, a growing number of government agencies, large enterprises, and critical infrastructure providers globally are beginning to assess their cryptographic posture and plan for PQC migration. This includes sectors like finance, healthcare, and defense.
What is Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)?
Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) refers to cryptographic algorithms designed to be secure against attacks by both classical and quantum computers. These new algorithms are being developed and standardized by bodies like NIST to replace current encryption methods that are vulnerable to quantum attacks.
World Quantum Readiness Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | September 25 | Thursday |
| 2026 | September 24 | Thursday |
| 2027 | September 23 | Thursday |
| 2028 | September 28 | Thursday |
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