IonQ is buying cybersecurity firm Elisity for up to $1.3 billion

Of that total, as much as $150 million is structured as earnouts that depend on how Elisity performs going forward, according to the Wall Street Journal.

IonQ stock closed Friday at $39.89, giving the company a market value of roughly $16 billion.

IonQ Chairman and Chief Executive Niccolo de Masi said the acquisition reflects his view that cybersecurity risks will grow as quantum computing and artificial intelligence systems become more capable.

"The bad guys are going to keep taking advantage of new technology," de Masi told the Wall Street Journal.

That buying spree included a $1.8 billion agreement earlier this year to take over semiconductor manufacturer SkyWater Technology, according to the Wall Street Journal.