Saudi national cryptographic standards do not yet accept post-quantum algorithms
1 DECEMBER 2025, RIYADH
Saudi Arabia's National Cryptographic Standards, in the NCS-1:2020 version, do not yet accept post-quantum algorithms. An updated version, NCS-2:2025, went to consultation in December 2025, but it had not reached final status as of early 2026. Until the authority finalises the update, the accepted set of algorithms under Saudi standards stays the same.
The pending status matters for organizations that follow the standards. While NCS-2:2025 remains in consultation, the 2020 standards stay in effect, so an organization cannot yet rely on Saudi standards to sanction post-quantum algorithms. Tracking the update tells an organization when that will change and which algorithms the final version will accept.
The situation does not force organizations to wait on everything, though. Cryptographic discovery and migration planning are independent of which specific algorithms a final standard accepts. An organization can map where it uses cryptography and plan its transition now, so that it can adopt post-quantum algorithms promptly once the updated standard permits them.
Why it matters. Saudi Arabia's standards sit at a transition point: the current standards do not yet accept post-quantum algorithms, but an update is working through consultation. Organizations following the standards should watch NCS-2:2025 closely to know when the accepted set changes. In the meantime, they can do the discovery and planning that any migration needs, so they are positioned to move as soon as the final standard opens the door to post-quantum cryptography.