Shielding Digital Money: A Quantum Leap in Crypto Safety

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have changed how we handle money online. They don't need banks, but they face big problems. Quantum computers could break their security. Plus, they're slow, don't work well together, and have privacy issues. Enter Quantum Crypto Guard for Secure Transactions (QCG-ST). This new blockchain system aims to fix these problems. It uses special math called lattice-based cryptography to fight off quantum attacks. This math is based on something called Ring Learning With Errors (Ring-LWE). QCG-ST also speeds up transactions and uses less energy. It does this through sharding, a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) method, and a threshold signature scheme (TSS). These features make the system more scalable and efficient. Plus, it uses zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) to keep transactions private. The system also works across different platforms. It uses a cross-chain atomic swap protocol with hashed time-lock contracts. This ensures it can work on all types of blockchain networks. Tests show QCG-ST performs better than traditional methods. It was tested against systems like Payment Channel-Lightning Network (PC-LN), Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE), and Cross-Chain Transaction with Hyperledger (CCT-H). QCG-ST had a higher transaction success rate (up to 98. 5%), faster speed, better energy efficiency, lower latency, and higher throughput. These results were seen in a quantum-simulated environment. This new framework could be a game-changer. It offers strong security, quantum resistance, and privacy protection. It could help solve future problems in decentralized digital banking.