Hong Kong's Central Bank Launches Quantum Preparedness Index with 2.3/10 Readiness Score, Aims for Full Sector Compliance by 2030

According to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), on July 27, the regulator introduced a white paper on quantum preparedness and the sector's first Quantum Preparedness Index (QPI). The QPI gave Hong Kong's banking sector an overall readiness score of 2.3 out of 10, with approximately half of surveyed institutions lacking formal post-quantum planning. The HKMA aims to achieve full sector readiness, represented by a QPI score of 10, by 2030.

The initiative addresses quantum-computing threats to cryptographic systems that underpin blockchain and distributed-ledger applications, which Hong Kong is expanding as part of its tokenization strategy. According to the white paper, quantum computers capable of running Shor's algorithm at scale could eventually compromise widely used RSA and elliptic-curve cryptography, potentially allowing attackers to forge digital signatures and disrupt financial transactions. The HKMA urged banks to begin risk assessments and migration planning before such machines become available.