Start of a New Technological Era: Washington Drives the Shift to Post-Quantum Cryptography to Protect Digital Infrastructure

On June 22, 2026 President Donald Trump signed two executive orders aimed at significantly strengthening US cybersecurity.

The first order (Executive Order 14412, “Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks”) requires US federal agencies to transition to post-quantum encryption for key exchange by December 31, 2030, and for digital signatures by December 31, 2031. The requirements also extend to private contractors, which must comply with NIST standards by the end of 2030.

The transition will be coordinated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the National Cyber Director, while the Department of Commerce must launch a pilot migration project by December 31, 2027. The order explicitly identifies the “harvest now, decrypt later” threat as the primary motivation for the initiative.