Integrating Post-Quantum Cryptography and Advanced Encryption Standards to Safeguard Sensitive Financial Records from Emerging Cyber Threats

This study examines the integration of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to safeguard financial records against quantum-enabled cyber threats. A quantitative approach was employed using data from the NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography Project Dataset, Google Homomorphic Encryption Benchmark Dataset, Hyperledger Fabric Blockchain Performance Dataset, and World Bank Financial Stability Indicators Dataset. Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) assessed cryptographic agility, while Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) analyzed encryption efficiency. Results indicate that CRYSTALS-Kyber achieves the highest agility score (8.35), making it the most adaptable PQC algorithm for financial institutions. Blockchain-based key exchange mechanisms integrating PQC reduced transaction finality time by 25%, enhancing security and efficiency. A post-quantum cyber breach could result in a 3.2% GDP loss and $150 billion in cybercrime costs. Financial institutions must prioritize PQC adoption, enforce regulatory standardization, deploy blockchain-based PQC key exchange, and invest in cryptographic agility to mitigate quantum security risks.