Quantum Leap Shrinks Encryption's 'Unbreakable' Barrier

The computational power needed to break common RSA encryption has been reduced tenfold, making it significantly more vulnerable to quantum computers. This advancement means that quantum computers may achieve this capability within the next decade.

Past estimates required millions of quantum bits, or qubits, to break RSA encryption, a level of power considered impractical for many years. However, recent breakthroughs have steadily reduced this requirement. In 2019, estimates dropped to 20 million qubits, and a subsequent development in 2025 lowered it to under a million.

The latest study, building on algorithmic improvements, now estimates that around 100,000 qubits could suffice, particularly when using a qLDPC code for qubit interaction. This approach allows qubits to connect more broadly, increasing information density. Researchers suggest that a quantum computer with approximately 98,000 superconducting qubits could break RSA encryption in about a month.

While companies are aiming to build quantum computers with hundreds of thousands of qubits within the decade, practical implementation challenges remain. Difficulties in engineering the necessary complex connections between distant qubits are a primary concern. Despite these hurdles, the progress underscores the urgent need to prepare for a future where current encryption methods may no longer be secure.