France will stop certifying security products that do not use quantum-safe encryption beginning in 2027, a change described in coverage as a de facto phase-out of older cryptographic systems.
Companies should buy only quantum-safe products by 2030, creating a procurement deadline that separates the certification cutoff from the later corporate purchasing requirement.
ANSSI certification is required for French government agencies and critical infrastructure operators.
France’s certification policy requires ANSSI certification for security products used by French government agencies and critical infrastructure operators, and the government will stop certifying products that do not use quantum-safe encryption beginning in 2027. The policy also sets a procurement expectation that companies should buy only quantum-safe products by 2030. The certification requirement links product approval directly to cryptographic standards used in products. The change has been described in reporting as a de facto phase-out of older cryptographic systems.
“It’s not only a technical issue,” ANSSI Chief of Staff Samih Souissi said at the annual France Quantum conference. “It’s a matter of governance, industrial planning, regulation, and sovereignty.”
The comment frames the policy as involving regulatory and industrial dimensions in addition to technical criteria.
The policy therefore connects technical certification standards with governance and industrial policy considerations. The quoted remarks emphasize regulation and sovereignty as policy dimensions.
Several industry actors have published timelines and estimates for migration to quantum-safe cryptography. Google set a 2029 deadline to transition to post-quantum cryptography. Project Eleven estimated that a cryptographically relevant quantum computer could arrive as early as 2030, which the report states would put roughly 7 million Bitcoin at risk. These timelines and estimates are cited alongside other migration efforts.
The Ethereum Foundation formed a dedicated post-quantum security team to address migration to quantum-safe cryptography. Coinbase established a quantum advisory council that urged migration to quantum-safe cryptography. Industry coverage also notes advisory and development activities related to post-quantum cryptography.
Stellar Development Foundation unveiled a three-stage roadmap to migrate the XLM network to quantum-safe cryptography, including a protocol upgrade to add quantum-resistant signers without changing wallet addresses. The roadmap specifies the protocol upgrade mechanism as adding quantum-resistant signers while preserving existing wallet address formats. These migration steps are described as technical measures targeting signature verification and key management layers.
Industry executives have expressed caution regarding projections about quantum computing timelines, advising against viewing these as indicators of an imminent quantum crisis. Boundless CEO Shiv Shankar noted that although the risk associated with quantum threats is increasing, it aligns with expectations and careful planning for migration.
Specifically, Shankar stated, “The risk is going up, but this was expected. As we get closer and closer to a target date for full migration to [post-quantum cryptography], the confidence in that timeline generally goes up.”
He emphasized that there is “no cause for panic” and highlighted the ongoing efforts by “the smartest and most brilliant minds in the world” to mitigate these risks.
The article documents a coordinated move toward quantum-safe encryption across government certification and industry. It describes a shift in certification standards combined with industry migration activities—such as timelines, advisory councils, dedicated security teams, and protocol roadmaps—aimed at replacing legacy cryptographic systems with quantum-resistant algorithms and updating signature verification and key management layers.
