Your cryptographic estate
has a 2028 deadline.
Do you know what's in it?
Q-Edge delivers NCSC-aligned quantum readiness assessments and cryptographic migration roadmaps for UK financial services firms — at a price that works for SMEs.
Most UK financial firms are running cryptographic systems built for a pre-quantum world.
NIST published three quantum-safe standards in 2024. The NCSC has set a 2028 deadline. The question isn't whether to migrate — it's whether you'll know what to migrate when the time comes.
No Cryptographic Inventory
You don't know what algorithms your systems use, where they live, or how they're connected. Migration planning is impossible without this baseline.
The 2028 Deadline Is Closing
NCSC guidance sets 2028 as the target for systems protecting sensitive data to be quantum-safe. Discovery and remediation alone can take 12–18 months.
Harvest Now, Decrypt Later
Adversaries are collecting encrypted traffic today, waiting for quantum computers to decrypt it. Your long-term confidentiality is already at risk — not in 2028. Now.
Enterprise Solutions Don't Fit
IBM and the Big 4 serve FTSE 100 firms at enterprise prices. Most UK financial services SMEs have no accessible, expert PQC guidance.
The DOT Framework
Three stages. Three deliverables. The same methodology on every engagement.
Cryptographic Inventory
Every algorithm, certificate, protocol, and key material in your estate — catalogued into a CycloneDX 1.6 CBOM.
Quantum Readiness Assessment
Your assets scored against NCSC timelines and NIST PQC standards. Highest-risk systems and HNDL exposure prioritised.
Migration Roadmap
A phased, board-ready plan — which systems to move first, which algorithms to adopt, and how to transition without disruption.
The firms that can afford IBM are already getting this advice.
Q-Edge exists for the firms IBM won't take a call from.
NCSC-Aligned Methodology
Built on NCSC PQC migration guidance, NIST FIPS 203/204/205, and the ACSC standard — not generic consulting frameworks.
UK Financial Services Only
Fintechs, asset managers, payment processors, insurers. FCA, PRA, DORA, and NCSC — we know your regulatory environment.
SME-Accessible Pricing
IBM and Big 4 have an £80k+ floor. Q-Edge is built for firms with 20–500 employees, with transparent fixed-scope pricing.
Vendor-Neutral Advice
No IBM products, no vendor tooling. Recommendations based on open NIST standards and NCSC guidance only.
Quantum Readiness in Weeks
Enterprise scoping takes 6–18 months. Our DOT methodology delivers your QRA in weeks.
UK financial services. That's it.
We don't serve every sector. PQC risk is not uniform — it varies by data type, retention period, and regulatory exposure. These are the UK FS verticals where the threat is most acute.
Wealth Managers & Family Offices
AML records and position data held for decades — prime HNDL targets.
Boutique Investment Banks & M&A Advisory
Deal communications encrypted today may be exposed before transactions close.
Insurers with Long-Tail Claims
Policy data with 20–30 year retention sits within the HNDL exposure window.
Fintech Lenders & Payment Processors
High-volume PII under FCA/PRA oversight — regulatory scrutiny is accelerating.
Challenger Banks & Credit Unions
Cloud-native stacks on TLS and RSA. Vendor PQC roadmaps are often unconfirmed.
Financial Data & Analytics Providers
Proprietary models and client data are the product — confidentiality is non-negotiable.
If your firm holds data that must remain confidential past 2028 and you operate under FCA, PRA, or DORA regulation — Q-Edge is built for you.
Transparent pricing.
No hidden scope.
IBM Consulting doesn't publish pricing. We do. You know exactly what you're getting before we start.
Quantum Readiness Assessment
The fastest way to understand your exposure. We walk through your current cryptographic setup, identify your highest-risk systems, and tell you where you stand against the NCSC 2028 timeline.
Full PQC Audit
A complete cryptographic audit from discovery through board-ready output. You get a full CBOM, NCSC-aligned risk assessment, and a phased migration roadmap your team can execute.
Ongoing Advisory
Continuous PQC oversight as the regulatory and threat landscape evolves. Monthly threat brief, reassessment cadence, and a dedicated advisor on call for your team.
All engagements begin with a free 30-minute scoping call. No obligation.
The 5-Phase Cryptoagility Roadmap
From cryptographic blind spot to quantum-safe posture — with a clear audit trail at every step.
Book a Discovery CallCryptographic Asset Discovery
Source code, containers, and infrastructure scanned. Every algorithm, certificate, and key material catalogued.
CBOM Generation & Classification
Assets structured into a CycloneDX 1.6 CBOM — the standard used by IBM and OWASP.
Quantum Readiness Assessment
Each asset scored against NCSC timelines and NIST PQC standards. HNDL-exposed systems flagged Priority 1.
Algorithm Selection & Hybrid Design
Right-sized NIST replacements recommended — ML-KEM, ML-DSA, SLH-DSA — with hybrid transition design.
Migration Roadmap & Governance
Board-ready migration plan with phased timelines, vendor guidance, and ongoing cryptoagility governance.
Do you know what's in your
cryptographic estate?
Book a 30-minute call. We'll walk through your current cryptographic exposure, identify your highest-risk systems, and give you a clear picture of where you stand against the NCSC 2028 timeline — at no cost.
No sales pitch. No IBM product lock-in.
Frequently asked questions
Still have questions?
Book a free 30-minute call — no obligation, no sales pitch.