I track the quantum landscape obsessively, not out of fascination alone but out of necessity. A day rarely passes without a breakthrough, a research milestone, or a new demonstration of quantum capability.

Every technological disruption I’ve witnessed, be it virtualization, mobile, cloud or AI, has brought challenges, yes, but they also came with long, predictable runways. Quantum is different. It is moving faster, its consequences are deeper, and its impact on trust which is the core currency of digital payments, is far greater.

This isn’t just another shift in computing. This is a foundational shift in security physics.

The pace of quantum developments continues to surprise me. Breakthroughs that used to appear quarterly now appear weekly. Research prototypes that were theoretical five years ago are now being tested in national labs and R&D units, and cryptographic research clusters around the world.

RSA-2048 which is our long-standing guardrail would take a supercomputer 300 trillion years to break. A fault-tolerant quantum machine could theoretically do it in under 24 hours. If that does not command every CISO and CIO’s attention, nothing will.

At SISA, we are witnessing something encouraging. CIOs and risk leaders are finally engaging, not out of panic, but with strategic curiosity. They want to demystify quantum computing, understand how Q-Day risks align to their ecosystem, and evaluate whether their cryptographic foundations can stand the test of the next decade.

Despite rising awareness, the global payments ecosystem is at an early stage of readiness. Not because leaders lack intent, but because the challenge spans multiple dimensions:

• Quantum talent shortage
• Unclear regulatory timelines
• Difficulty mapping existing cryptographic landscapes
• Pressure from day-to-day operational risks
• Complexity of multi-entity payment ecosystems
• Uncertainty around PQC adoption pathways

Yet, those who have navigated major technological shifts before will recognize the pattern: The cost of delayed action is always higher than the cost of early preparation.

However, The quantum shift cannot be “fixed” through a single project, deployment, or technology upgrade. This will be a multi-year transformation touching architecture, governance, cryptography, supply chains, and talent pipelines.

Having built multiple modernization roadmaps over the past 25 years I can say this confidently: Quantum migration demands deliberate sequencing. Not speed, but strategy. Below is the migration path I recommend to every board, every CIO, CTO and CISO, and every technology leader today, one built on predictability, clarity, and resilience. These are not sequential steps but interlocking themes to guide how organizations can shape their quantum journey.

1. Foundation & Readiness Assessment

Every migration begins with an understanding of what exists today. This includes identifying cryptographic assets, conducting a quantum risk assessment, analysing ecosystem dependencies that highlights where vulnerabilities may surface first. This foundational clarity guides prioritization and ensures organizations anchor their transition on data rather than assumptions.

2. Governance, Alignment & Strategy Setting

Quantum transformation cuts across technology, risk, compliance, and operations. Establishing the right governance structure and aligning leadership around roles, accountability, and decision pathways, is essential. This is where business strategy meets technical execution, ensuring quantum initiatives have institutional buy-in rather than remaining isolated in IT or security.

3. Technology Evolution & Hybrid Cryptography Adoption

The shift to quantum-safe cryptography is best approached in phases. Organizations evaluate NIST-approved algorithms, plan hybrid cryptography models, and begin early testing using controlled pilots or quantum-inspired techniques. This blended approach protects today’s systems while preparing them for tomorrow’s quantum-resistant standards, enabling teams to build confidence and reduce migration friction.

4. Implementation, Assurance & Continuous Optimization

Once pilots stabilize, organizations transition into staged deployment. Existing encryption workflows, certificates, and key-management processes evolve to support quantum-safe methods without disrupting existing flows. This phase also emphasizes documentation, audit readiness, and regulatory alignment and continuously monitoring and optimizing cryptographic performance as standards evolve.

5. Continuous Optimization & Talent Development

Equally important is talent – building internal quantum literacy, upskilling teams, and fostering cross-functional competence. Early investment here becomes a long-term competitive advantage.

Quantum computing will not arrive as a sudden disruption but in waves. But adversaries can already harvest encrypted data today and wait to decrypt it tomorrow. That means the window for proactive preparation is narrower than many assume.

In my experience, long-term resilience is never built through fear. It is built through clarity, alignment, and structured readiness. Digital payments leaders who start preparing now gradually will protect not just their cryptography, but the trust that underpins the entire global payments ecosystem.

Quantum is coming. We can either meet it prepared or meet it exposed. The roadmap we choose today will decide which future we inherit.

How SISA Helps in Quantum Migration Planning 

At SISA, we partner with digital payments leaders to transform quantum-migration planning into actionable, business-aligned execution. Leveraging our deep expertise in cryptography and payments, we conduct comprehensive quantum-readiness assessments, design migration strategies tailored to your regulatory and operational context, support hybrid-cryptography deployment with minimal disruption, and ensure governance and compliance frameworks are audit-ready. We can help you move beyond awareness to quantum-ready resilience.