Post-Quantum Cryptographic Protocols for Securing Digital Trade and International Payment Systems
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62802/q1h2xg17Keywords:
post-quantum cryptography, digital trade, international payments, lattice-based cryptography, quantum key distribution, payment protocol migration, quantum-safe infrastructureAbstract
The advent of scalable quantum computing poses a significant threat to the cryptographic foundations of digital trade, cross-border payment systems, and global financial infrastructures. Current public-key cryptosystems—widely used in digital transactions, payment authorization, and inter-bank messaging—are vulnerable to quantum-based attacks such as those enabled by Shor’s algorithm. This review analyzes the emerging domain of post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and quantum-resilient protocol design within the context of international trade and payment gateways. Key themes include the migration of legacy payment and settlement protocols to quantum-resistant formats, the integration of lattice-based key encapsulation mechanisms, stateless hash-based digital signatures, and hybrid classical–quantum key distribution (QKD) within financial messaging standards, as well as system-level design considerations for trade platforms that emphasize forward secrecy, long-term data confidentiality, and regulatory compliance across jurisdictions. By synthesizing standardization efforts and industry transition case studies, this paper offers a roadmap for financial institutions, technology vendors, and regulatory bodies to orchestrate a coordinated shift toward quantum-safe digital trade ecosystems.
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