A Hybrid Post-Quantum Cryptographic Framework for Zero-Knowledge, Blockchain-Based Bank Clearing and Custody Infrastructure

• Abiodun Okunola

  Ladoke Akintola University Technology

  Author

The global financial system faces an unprecedented convergence of threats: the emergence of cryptographically relevant quantum computers capable of breaking classical public-key infrastructure, the rise of autonomous AI agents executing machine-speed transactions without human oversight, and the persistent challenges of settlement inefficiency, opaque record-keeping, and privacy preservation in multi-party financial workflows. Existing security architectures—relying on RSA and ECC-based encryption, centralized intermediaries, and static authentication mechanisms—are fundamentally inadequate to address these intersecting challenges. This research presents a comprehensive hybrid framework integrating post-quantum cryptographic algorithms (CRYSTALS-Kyber and CRYSTALS-Dilithium), zero-knowledge proofs for privacy-preserving compliance, and permissioned blockchain infrastructure for immutable auditability. The proposed framework achieves 99.83% federated model accuracy for anomaly detection, 53% reduction in zero-knowledge proof verification time, 42% improvement in auditability index, and post-quantum encryption latency of 2.21ms . The framework establishes a replicable architectural blueprint for financial institutions transitioning to quantum-resistant, AI-ready settlement and custody infrastructure, addressing the G7-mandated 2029 migration timeline for post-quantum cryptography adoption.

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Copyright (c) 2026 Abiodun Okunola (Author)

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