How Quantum Computing Could Improve Generative AI: What a New Drug-Discovery Study Reveals Article Highlights A newly published, peer-reviewed study in Scientific Reports offers some of the clearest evidence yet that annealing quantum computers could meaningfully improve the outputs of generative AI models. - Conducted in collaboration between D-Wave and Shionogi & Co., Ltd.: the researchers used a D-Wave annealing quantum computer to improve how an AI model designs new drug candidate molecules. - The quantum-assisted model generated molecules that were more chemically valid and more “drug-like” than those produced by an equivalent classical-only AI model. - The implications of this research for AI are not limited to drug discovery: based on the results, annealing quantum computing could act as a general-purpose stochastic generator inside generative AI, sampling more effectively from the “in-between” spaces that a model hasn’t directly seen in training. These results show promising evidence that annealing quantum computing can act as a practical enhancement to AI today. By Mohsen Rahmani, Matthew Woolway, Vladimir Vargas-Calderón, William Kim, Kevin Chern, and Mohammad Amin A newly published, peer-reviewed study in Scientific Reports offers some of the clearest evidence yet that annealing quantum computers could meaningfully improve the outputs of generative AI models. The research, titled “Molecular design beyond training data with novel extended objective functionals of generative AI models driven by quantum annealing computer,” was conducted in collaboration between D-Wave and Shionogi & Co., Ltd. (“Shionogi”) (formerly the pharmaceutical division of Japan Tobacco). Together, we used a D-Wave™ annealing quantum computer to improve how an AI model designs new drug candidate molecules. The result: molecules that were more chemically valid and more “drug-like” than those produced by an equivalent classical-only AI model. The molecules generated by the quantum-assisted model even exceeded the quality of the very data the model was
Aug 25, 2026 · via dwavequantum.com
MCS researchers receive INCITE awards to accelerate scientific discovery MCS Menu Researchers in the Mathematics and Computer Science division at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory will participate in three mission-critical projects on DOE leadership-class computers. The projects — in computer science, Earth sciences and engineering — have been awarded supercomputing time through DOE’s Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment (INCITE) program. Computer Science Jeffrey Larson will join researchers from JPMorgan Chase in a new project titled “Evaluating the Performance of the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm” (QAOA). The researchers will develop numerical techniques to predict the performance of QAOA for arbitrarily large problems beyond those feasible with classical simulations. The project has received 40,000 node-hours on Argonne’s Polaris system and 200,000 node-hours on Argonne’s Aurora supercomputer to test the novel techniques. Aurora and Polaris are housed at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, a DOE Office of Science user facility. “Our aim is to be able to make comparisons with classical solvers and clarify requirements for quantum advantage — where a quantum computer can execute a computational task faster and more accurately than leading-class supercomputers,” Larson said. Earth Sciences Azamat Mametjanov will participate with colleagues from four national laboratories in a new project titled “Energy Exascale Earth System Model.” The project, led by DOE’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, will evaluate the atmospheric model SCREAM using real-world simulations across the United States. The team has been awarded 1 million node-hours on Aurora at Argonne and 600,000 node hours on Frontier at DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. “Our goal is to achieve an unprecedented 200-meter resolution,” the team project states. Engineering Paul Fischer and Misun Min will continue work with their colleagues on the project “Advancing Fusion and Fission Energy through Exascale,” led by Pennsylvania State University.
Aug 24, 2026 · via anl.gov
5TB cloud storage and no monthly fees — only $170 through Aug. 25 TL;DR: Internxt is a private, encrypted cloud storage with a 5TB lifetime subscription on sale for $170 through August 25. Renting cloud storage means paying every month just to keep your files safe. The longer you keep a subscription running, the worse of a deal it becomes. If you want a smarter option, Internxt is a new cloud storage platform offering 5TB of cloud storage for a one-time fee, and it’s even on sale. Get an Internxt 5TB lifetime subscription for $169.97 (reg. $1,900) while you can. Before a file leaves your computer, Internxt scrambles it, so you’re the only one who can read it. Even Internxt doesn’t know what you’re uploading. Google Drive and Dropbox don’t even do that. On the way up, your files are split into encrypted pieces, so anyone who grabs one only gets a useless chunk. Internxt also uses post-quantum encryption, so even if quantum computers ever become something people just have, your files should still be safe. There’s also AES-256 encryption to protect against modern threats. You can access your files from anywhere with apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, plus a web version. You can also connect as many devices as you want, and each file can be as large as 10GB Internxt’s code is public on GitHub. That means anyone can audit how it works and make sure it holds up to the hype. The service is GDPR compliant, and they’ve even been audited by Securitum. TechRadar gave it four out of five stars. You don’t have to pay for cloud storage every month. Until Aug. 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT, get a 5TB Internxt Cloud Storage Lifetime Subscription for $169.97. StackSocial prices subject to change. Topics
Aug 24, 2026 · via mashable.com
HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Bin Talal will chair the board of Pasqal Arabia, a new commercial venture established by Pasqal and Eleven Ventures to deploy multiple quantum computing systems within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and across the broader MENA region. The announcement coincides with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s State Visit to France, signaling a strengthening of cooperation in quantum computing and artificial intelligence. “We believe that quantum computing is at a similar stage to where artificial intelligence was a few years ago, poised for significant change,” said Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Bin Talal, aiming to position the Kingdom as a regional hub for the developing technology and advance its Vision 2030 ambitions. Pasqal and Eleven Ventures Scale Quantum Computing in Saudi Arabia This initiative intends to position Saudi Arabia as a regional hub for quantum technology, directly supporting the nation’s Vision 2030 goals for advancement in artificial intelligence and computing. The joint venture will build local talent and expertise to develop quantum computing within the Kingdom, rather than simply accessing it from abroad. “The Kingdom has moved faster than most markets to turn advanced computing into national capability,” said Dr. Wasiq Bokhari, Chief Executive Officer of Pasqal. “We believe this joint venture places Pasqal’s quantum systems inside the Kingdom, designed to scale with the region’s ambition.” The venture plans to deploy systems in the Kingdom in the coming years, offering commercial access to quantum infrastructure and addressing growing regional demand for high-performance computing. Pasqal, founded in 2019, currently employs approximately 300 people and serves over 25 clients and partners including Saudi Aramco and LG Electronics, the company says. This time, the Kingdom and the region are not observing from a distance, but are taking the lead, and Pasqal is a partner that shares that ambition. Together, the
Aug 24, 2026 · via quantumzeitgeist.com
Infleqtion’s quantum processing unit advances Japan’s first operational full-stack neutral-atom quantum computer, reinforcing momentum toward scalable quantum systems. LOUISVILLE, Colo. | August 24, 2026 | Infleqtion (NYSE: INFQ), a global leader in quantum computing and quantum sensing powered by neutral-atom technology, has helped Japan reach a major quantum milestone, supporting a research team led by Professor Kenji Ohmori at the Institute for Molecular Science (IMS), part of the National Institutes of Natural Sciences, in launching the country’s first operational neutral-atom full-stack quantum computer. Infleqtion was also the only foreign quantum partner selected by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) for its Quantum Moonshot program. Infleqtion contributed its quantum processing unit to the program, in collaboration with the Ohmori group at IMS, as one of the principal investigators of the Moonshot project led by Professor Ohmori, supporting the transition from research and development to an operational full-stack quantum computing platform. The system, referred to as “Shunkai”, is initially expected to operate with approximately 50 qubits, with plans to scale to around 500 qubits as development progresses. “This milestone marks a pivotal moment for Japan’s quantum ambitions as well as Infleqtion’s role in advancing production-ready quantum platforms at scale,” said Pranav Gokhale, Chief Technology Officer at Infleqtion. “Bringing a full-stack quantum system into production operation is a meaningful step toward fault-tolerant quantum computing that also serves as strong validation of neutral-atom architecture. Our quantum processing unit delivers the programmability, scalability and fidelity control that next-generation systems demand.” As part of the next phase of the Ohmori Moonshot project that has just started in April 2026, the IMS team will focus on improving system integration, stability, and scalability, with the goal of realizing a high-performance neutral-atom fault-tolerant quantum computer with up to 10,000 physical qubits and quantum error detection and correction capabilities.
Aug 24, 2026 · via infleqtion.com
GSA Leads the Transition to Quantum-Resistant Technology Post filed in: Emerging Technology | IT | Innovation | Technology | cybersecurity As the Administration advances its updated Cyber Strategy [PDF] and new Executive Order on Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation, GSA’s Office of Government-wide Policy, Federal Identity & Cybersecurity Division has been entrusted with critical responsibilities for protecting federal identity and building access systems, including supporting the governmentwide migration to post-quantum cryptography outlined in OMB Memorandum M-26-15 [PDF]. This important guidance directs federal agencies to move faster toward quantum-resistant security measures, and tasks GSA with new interagency coordination responsibilities that help cement its role at the forefront of this essential cybersecurity initiative. Understanding the Quantum Challenge Today’s digital security relies on complex mathematical algorithms that are extremely difficult for current computers to solve. However, quantum computers, which use the principles of quantum physics, will eventually be powerful enough to break these encryption methods quickly. This means that the digital keys protecting everything from federal computer systems to federal building access systems could become vulnerable. Think of it like this: if current encryption is a complex lock that would take thousands of years to pick, quantum computers could potentially pick that same lock in hours or days. This creates an urgent need to develop new types of quantum-resistant encryption “locks” before quantum computers become widely available. GSA’s Comprehensive Response GSA is taking a proactive approach across two critical areas to protect federal identity and access systems: Modernizing the FICAM Architecture The Federal Identity, Credential, and Access Management (FICAM) architecture serves as the backbone of federal identity systems. GSA is updating this framework to support quantum-resistant algorithms while maintaining compatibility with existing systems. This modernization ensures that agencies can transition smoothly to new security standards without disrupting daily operations. Our
Aug 24, 2026 · via gsa.gov
The Treasury Department today announced the launch of a new public-private initiative “to help accelerate the U.S. financial sector’s transition to quantum-safe technology.” Quantum computers theoretically would be more powerful than most modern computers and therefore pose significant cybersecurity challenges. The Quantum-Readiness Task Force will bring together government, financial institutions, financial market infrastructures, technology providers and other private-sector leaders to support coordinated preparation for quantum-related cyber risks, Treasury said in a statement. “America must lead in securing the technologies that power our economy,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. “This task force will help ensure our financial system remains strong, secure and competitive as new technologies reshape the global landscape.” The Task Force will operate through three workstreams: Sector alignment and post-quantum computing transition; third-party and vendor readiness; and digital assets and emerging technology risk. The new effort expands on a “roadmap” for post-quantum cryptography in the financial sector previously published by the G7 Cyber Expert Group, according to the department. Treasury did not announce the task force members. In related news, the American Bankers Association is participating in a post-quantum task force formed by the Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council and the Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee. Earlier this year, the ABA established the Quantum Security Working Group to provide a forum for ABA members to discuss strategies to integrate post-quantum encryption standards.
Aug 24, 2026 · via bankingjournal.aba.com
Treasury launches task force to prepare financial sector for quantum cyber threats The public-private task force will focus on moving financial institutions to quantum-resistant technology and addressing risks created by vendors and digital assets. The Treasury Department announced a new effort Monday to help the financial sector replace widely used cryptographic tools that could eventually be broken by quantum computers. The Quantum-Readiness Task Force will bring together government officials, financial institutions, market infrastructure operators and technology providers to coordinate the shift to post-quantum cryptography. Those protections are designed to withstand attacks from both conventional computers and future, more powerful quantum systems. Financial institutions are widely considered high-value targets for hackers because they hold vast amounts of money and sensitive data and operate payment systems whose disruption can ripple across the economy. A sufficiently advanced quantum computer could break many of the cryptographic tools that protect financial records, payment systems and market transactions. The technology does not yet exist, though cyber adversaries can collect encrypted information today and retain it in hopes of decrypting it once quantum capabilities improve, in a practice commonly dubbed “harvest now, decrypt later.” The Treasury task force will divide its work among coordinating the financial sector’s broader post-quantum transition, assessing the readiness of technology vendors and other third parties and examining risks involving digital assets and emerging technologies. Treasury said the group will also work to identify critical dependencies, improve interoperability and promote “cryptographic agility,” or the ability to replace encryption methods as security standards and threats change. “Post-quantum cryptography readiness is no longer a future-proofing exercise — it is a present-day risk control,” said Deborah Guild, chair of the Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council and head of technology at PNC Financial Services Group. Guild said organizations will need to prioritize their most important systems while
Aug 24, 2026 · via nextgov.com
In Part 7 we minted post-quantum certificates and weighed them. But certificates sitting in a folder are only half the fun. Time to do the job they were born for: prove identity. We’ll stand up two containers, each holding a certificate, and watch them prove who they are to each other before the tunnel comes up. That’s mutual authentication, over a real IKEv2 handshake. And we’ll do it twice, and the progression is the whole point: - Classical ECDSA (today’s real-world posture), on stable strongSwan. - Post-quantum ML-DSA (the bleeding edge), on an experimental branch. This Part uses the authentication/ lab: its own little stack, separate from the key-exchange one. Only Docker required. Clone the repo Grab the repo and step into this lab’s directory. All commands below run from ipsec/authentication/: git clone https://github.com/juliogomez/pqc.git cd ipsec/pqc/authentication How the trust works Both peers trust one tiny Certificate Authority we spin up just for the lab. The CA signs two leaf certificates (one per peer), and each peer gets the CA cert pre-installed so it can verify the other side. During the handshake each peer sends only its own leaf cert; the CA is already known to both. (That keeps the on-the-wire bytes down, which matters a lot once the certs go post-quantum, as Part 7 showed so clearly.) A helper script, gen-certs.sh, does all the minting; you just tell it which algorithm to use. Exercise A: Classical mutual auth with ECDSA This is today’s real-world posture, and there’s a nice little detail in it. Bring up the two peers: docker compose up -d --build That starts ike-auth-initiator (172.21.0.2) and ike-auth-responder (172.21.0.3). Now mint the CA and both ECDSA leaf certs: docker compose run --rm --build certgen ecdsa The peers started before the certs existed, so reload credentials. Reload the responder via
Aug 24, 2026 · via blogs.cisco.com
Figures Abstract Quantum computing leverages quantum mechanics to perform complex computations efficiently, yet its practical implementation is hindered by hardware-software interdependence and quantum state instability. This paper advances lightweight FPGA-based quantum emulation by incorporating a universal quantum gate set, including parameterized Phase gates and the CNOT gate, to support comprehensive quantum protocol emulation on FPGA hardware. The FPGA platform used for synthesis is Artix-7. The proposed emulator is validated through simulations of quantum circuits, including Bell States, the Deutsch algorithm, Superdense coding, Grover’s search, and BB84 QKD, with results benchmarked against IBM’s noiseless quantum simulator. Utilizing FPGA’s customizable parallelism and energy efficiency, this framework offers a resource-efficient, reliable platform for developing and testing quantum algorithms. Citation: Zahra A, Khalid M, Riaz N, Waheed S, Mujahid U, Najam-ul-Islam M (2026) FPGA-based emulation framework for two-qubit quantum computation: Design, implementation, and validation. PLoS One 21(8): e0356172. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0356172 Editor: Zeheng Wang, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, AUSTRALIA Received: November 28, 2025; Accepted: July 30, 2026; Published: August 24, 2026 Copyright: © 2026 Zahra et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Data Availability: The Source codes are available at via https://github.com/Arfeen983/FPGA-Based-Emulation-Framework-for-Two-Qubit-Quantum-Computation and https://www.protocols.io/view/fpga-based-emulation-framework-for-two-qubit-quant-dm6gp4bqpgzp/v2. Funding: The author(s) received no specific funding for this work. Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. 1 Introduction In 1980, Richard Feynman and Paul Benioff presented the idea of a Quantum Computer, i.e., a hardware system based on the principles of quantum mechanics. Unlike classical computers, which operate on binary logic, this technology leverages the laws of quantum physics, allowing the system to perform powerful operations and execute certain computations efficiently. In the present information era,
Aug 24, 2026 · via journals.plos.org
Key Points - IonQ demonstrates explosive revenue growth while maintaining deep partnerships with the world's largest cloud providers. - Quantum Computing Inc. focuses on photonic solutions with a heavy reliance on government contracts and specialized artificial intelligence hardware. - Which of these high-growth technology companies deserves a spot in your portfolio in 2026? As the race for quantum supremacy intensifies, choosing between IonQ(NYSE:IONQ) and Quantum Computing Inc.(NASDAQ:QUBT), which refers to itself as QCi, requires a careful look at their vastly different scales and unique hardware approaches. IonQ uses trapped-ion technology to build systems accessible through major cloud platforms, while QCi focuses on photonic chips and room-temperature hardware. Both companies represent high-risk, high-reward plays in a nascent industry where long-term commercial viability remains the primary hurdle for investors to consider. The case for IonQ IonQ specializes in developing quantum hardware using trapped ions. The company primarily sells access to its systems through the cloud computing ecosystem, partnering with giants such as Amazon-owned AWS. Revenue concentration remains a risk, as the company is heavily reliant on a small number of major customers, and customer concentration like this adds a layer of risk to the business. In its latest annual report, filed for fiscal year (FY) 2025, revenue reached $130 million, representing a significant jump of 202% compared to the previous year. Despite this growth, the company reported a net loss of $510.4 million for the period. This widening loss is common in the early stages of capital-intensive hardware development, though the triple-digit top-line growth suggests increasing demand for its trapped-ion systems among commercial and research clients. As of its December 2025 balance sheet, the company's debt-to-equity ratio is zero, which means total debt is negligible relative to its shareholder equity. The current ratio stands at 15.5x, a measure of its ability to
Aug 24, 2026 · via theglobeandmail.com
Bipartisan Senate bill aims to prepare energy sector for Q-Day A new bipartisan Senate bill would require federal regulators to prepare the U.S. electric grid for cybersecurity threats from quantum computers and create a technical sandbox to study how the technology could impact both information and operational technology systems. The Quantum Grid Utility Assurance and Resilient Defense (Quantum-GUARD) Act, introduced by Sens. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., and Chris Coons, D-Del., would direct the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission when reviewing proposed reliability regulatory standards for electricity owners and operators under the Federal Power Act. FERC updates its reliability standards to account for emerging cybersecurity concerns, and the legislation would expand those reviews to include the future threat of hacks from quantum computers. The legislation also directs FERC to explore potential uses of post-quantum cryptography in IT and OT systems and “take such action the Commission determines to be appropriate based on that consideration.” In a statement, Coons said quantum computing brings “new economic opportunities” along with “tremendous cybersecurity risks.” “As the technology races forward and our adversaries continue to seek vulnerabilities in our critical systems, we need to pass the Quantum-GUARD Act to ensure our government is using every available tool to meet this threat,” said Coons. The federal government has been an early adopter of post-quantum cryptography for its digital systems. The National Institute for Standards and Technology has worked with cryptographers to develop new “post-quantum” encryption algorithms that will be used by most governments and the private sector. Under the Biden administration, most federal agencies were required to migrate their systems and data to “PQC” encryption by 2035. In June, an executive order from the Trump administration pushed that timeline up to 2030. Ali Shaikh, CEO of Graphiant, a networking infrastructure startup, told CyberScoop that the bill would represent a
Aug 24, 2026 · via cyberscoop.com
Banks, regulators join quantum-resistant crypto transfer pilot Banks and financial regulators across Europe, the Middle East and Asia have joined a pilot testing quantum-resistant infrastructure for digital asset wallets and onchain transfers. The Responsible Fintech Institute (RFI) and crypto custody infrastructure provider Safeheron announced the initiative on Monday. The pilot uses a multiparty computation protocol supporting ML-DSA-65, a post-quantum digital signature standard published by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, on a quantum-resistant NEAR testnet. RFI said participating regulators include Abu Dhabi Global Market, Bhutan’s Gelephu Financial Services Office and Malta’s Financial Services Authority, while Bison Bank and DK Bank are participating as financial institutions. The banks will test wallet generation and transfers in a shared application environment. Meanwhile, regulators will observe the first phase and contribute to a governance workstream later, with participation levels differing between institutions. The organizers plan to publish a white paper covering the research, protocol design and test findings and eventually open-source the underlying technology. The pilot comes as financial authorities prepare for quantum computers that could undermine public-key cryptography. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority aims to make Hong Kong’s banking sector fully prepared for quantum-related security risks by 2030. Separately, a 2025 BIS paper urged financial institutions to begin coordinated, phased migrations to post-quantum systems.
Aug 24, 2026 · via tradingview.com
Consortium launches cross-regional pilot on post-quantum security with participation from banks and regulatory stakeholders PRNewswire Singapore, August 24: The Responsible Fintech Institute (RFI) and Safeheron have launched a pilot initiative to evaluate post-quantum cryptography for digital asset transactions, with participation from selected financial institutions and regulatory stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions. The initiative is designed to move quantum-safe financial infrastructure from concept into practical testing with participating institutions. Convened by the Responsible Fintech Institute with Safeheron as technology partner, to evaluate and eventually open-source quantum-resilient infrastructure for wallet generation and digital asset transfers in a regulated, cross-jurisdiction setting. The pilot will focus on a post-quantum cryptography (PQC) research program built around a multi-party computation (MPC) protocol that supports ML-DSA-65, the NIST FIPS 204 digital signature standard, with participant testing covering wallet generation and on-chain transfer activity on the quantum-resistant NEAR testnet. The initiative brings together banks and regulators from multiple jurisdictions to examine cross-border interoperability, operational resilience and governance considerations in parallel with technical evaluation. 'No single bank, vendor, or regulator solves this alone,' said Chia Hock Lai, Chairman of the Responsible Fintech Institute. 'By bringing policymakers and financial institutions across jurisdictions together to test the same post-quantum architecture, and transparently sharing that research with every participant, we are building a compliance and security reference the whole industry can stand on -- and a standard we all helped write.' 'AI is accelerating the pace of change and likely bringing the quantum threat closer to reality -- quantum-ready infrastructure has never been more critical, and the time to act is now,' said Jag Foo, Chief Security & Policy Officer at Safeheron. 'By integrating NIST's post-quantum signature standard with advanced MPC technology, we are building the architecture required to secure the next generation of financial networks. Safeheron has long advocated for open-source cryptography,
Aug 24, 2026 · via bignewsnetwork.com
Japanese researchers are making headway in the field of quantum computing, or systems that are much faster at solving complex problems than regular computers. The country's first model using what's called "neutral atoms" is now in operation in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan. Quantum computers use the unique behavior of particles like atoms and electrons to explore multiple possibilities in solving problems. Neutral-atom quantum computers are one type being considered for potential commercial use. The Japan model was developed by a group including the Institute for Molecular Science. Researchers say it uses lasers to trap atoms that are not electrically charged inside a vacuum chamber. Unlike other types of quantum computers, the model can reportedly operate at room temperatures. This means it does not require a cooling system and can be kept at a smaller size for more practical applications. The research team is led by Professor Ohmori Kenji at the Institute. "We want to create a system that's faster and more useful than supercomputers in tackling specific social problems," Ohmori said. "Ultimately, we want our system to fully replace the existing computing infrastructure." The developers say their system can currently perform basic calculations. The next steps are to ensure the stability to enable large-scale calculations.
Aug 24, 2026 · via www3.nhk.or.jp
Bank of America, Wells Fargo and JPMorgan were among the top filers of patents for quantum-resistant and post-quantum cryptography technology last year, together filing more than 100 as the industry edges closer to the next quantum breakthrough.
The filings were among 1,455 patents for technology designed to prevent hackers from using quantum computing to exploit firms, according to intellectual property law firm Mathys & Squire.
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Aug 24, 2026 · via thebanker.com
Consortium launches cross-regional pilot on post-quantum security with participation from banks and regulatory stakeholders PRNewswire Singapore, August 24: The Responsible Fintech Institute (RFI) and Safeheron have launched a pilot initiative to evaluate post-quantum cryptography for digital asset transactions, with participation from selected financial institutions and regulatory stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions. The initiative is designed to move quantum-safe financial infrastructure from concept into practical testing with participating institutions. Convened by the Responsible Fintech Institute with Safeheron as technology partner, to evaluate and eventually open-source quantum-resilient infrastructure for wallet generation and digital asset transfers in a regulated, cross-jurisdiction setting. The pilot will focus on a post-quantum cryptography (PQC) research program built around a multi-party computation (MPC) protocol that supports ML-DSA-65, the NIST FIPS 204 digital signature standard, with participant testing covering wallet generation and on-chain transfer activity on the quantum-resistant NEAR testnet. The initiative brings together banks and regulators from multiple jurisdictions to examine cross-border interoperability, operational resilience and governance considerations in parallel with technical evaluation. "No single bank, vendor, or regulator solves this alone," said Chia Hock Lai, Chairman of the Responsible Fintech Institute. "By bringing policymakers and financial institutions across jurisdictions together to test the same post-quantum architecture, and transparently sharing that research with every participant, we are building a compliance and security reference the whole industry can stand on -- and a standard we all helped write." "AI is accelerating the pace of change and likely bringing the quantum threat closer to reality -- quantum-ready infrastructure has never been more critical, and the time to act is now," said Jag Foo, Chief Security & Policy Officer at Safeheron. "By integrating NIST's post-quantum signature standard with advanced MPC technology, we are building the architecture required to secure the next generation of financial networks. Safeheron has long advocated for open-source cryptography,
Aug 24, 2026 · via bignewsnetwork.com
Is quantum computing playing out like mobile phones, circa 1995? When we think about a technology we can’t live without, the mobile phone is often near the top of the list. It has become far more than a telephone and influences how we work, communicate, conduct research, navigate, consume media, read, shop, and organize our lives. This outcome was far from obvious during the early 1990s. Mobile phones were expensive, coverage was incomplete, batteries were limited, and our range of applications was narrow. But the technology was already useful—it didn’t need to become a smartphone before it created value. What followed wasn’t the result of one decisive breakthrough. Devices improved. Networks expanded. Costs fell. Signal processing became more sophisticated. Software ecosystems emerged. Each layer reinforced the others, and adoption accelerated. In the U.K., mobile connections exceeded the population by 2004. Quantum computing has reached a similar point. It’s not waiting for a single future moment when it suddenly becomes useful. Its practical phase has already begun through hybrid quantum computing, in which quantum processors, quantum-inspired algorithms, artificial intelligence, tensor networks, central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), and high-performance computing (HPC) are integrated into complete industrial workflows. More powerful quantum processing units (QPUs) will dramatically expand what these systems can achieve, and fault tolerance will accelerate the transition. But neither one is the starting point of the market. Quantum computing is already in its practical phase Much of the debate around quantum computing treats the technology as binary. Either a fully fault-tolerant machine capable of transforming entire industries is imminent, or quantum computing has no practical value at all. Both positions miss how technologies actually develop. In 1995, the mobile phone was neither a useless experiment nor the mature platform we know today. It was a constrained but already
Aug 24, 2026 · via laserfocusworld.com
Hanssak said on Aug. 24 it swung to a profit in the second quarter on both a separate and consolidated basis through an expanded portfolio of security solutions and business diversification. The company said its separate second-quarter revenue was 6.4 billion won, up 39 percent from 4.6 billion won a year earlier. Operating profit came to 1.3 billion won, swinging from an operating loss of 800 million won in the same period last year. Consolidated second-quarter revenue, including subsidiaries Incom and HS Security, was 7.6 billion won, up 44 percent year on year. Operating profit was 800 million won, and operating profit and loss improved by 1.5 billion won from a year earlier. In the first half, separate revenue totalled 8.7 billion won and operating loss was 200 million won. The operating loss narrowed to 200 million won this year from 1.6 billion won a year earlier, approaching break-even point (BEP). On a consolidated basis, first-half revenue was 11.1 billion won, up 17.4 percent from a year earlier. The company said the results were affected by new solutions launched through continued research and development (R&D) investment, including CDS, integrated access control, password management, SSL visibility and one-way transmission. Hanssak will speed up revenue growth in the second half, focusing on demand for new solutions and policy-related demand. It plans to strengthen its push into the public and financial markets based on its SSL visibility solution, BlueKeen VA, obtaining a security function confirmation certificate and registration with the Public Procurement Service. It also sees the National Intelligence Service's push to shift to the National Network Security Framework (N2SF) as a new business opportunity. Hanssak plans to advance its major security solutions to meet N2SF requirements and target related demand. It stressed that it is applying related technologies to its solutions in
Aug 24, 2026 · via digitaltoday.co.kr
What's the deal? Nissay Capital has invested in OptQC, a Tokyo-based deep-tech startup building photonic quantum computers, through its Sustainability Solutions Fund No.1. The investment, announced in August 2026, is part of OptQC's Series A round. What's the endgame? OptQC spun out of long-running research at the University of Tokyo and develops quantum computers that run at room temperature and pressure. That approach avoids the heavy power draw and complex control systems of rival methods, Nissay Capital says, allowing scale and practical use. Why now? The company is already moving from lab to market. It has delivered its first machine to Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and is working with major corporates, according to Nissay Capital. Why it matters: Nissay Capital, wholly owned by Nippon Life, invested via a fund built for SDG-aligned startups. The vehicle, set up in April 2023 with ¥3 billion, targets companies in decarbonisation, new energy, and healthy longevity across all stages. OptQC's technology could cut CO2 emissions by optimising logistics and speeding up development of new materials and energy sources, the firm says. It could also aid drug discovery for hard-to-treat diseases. Naoki Akiyama, chief executive officer of Nissay Capital, said the startup's work "is exactly the kind that broadcasts Japan's technological strength to the world and forms a core of industrial competitiveness" (translated from Japanese). He said the firm would use its capacity for long-term investment to help OptQC become "a world-leading quantum platform provider." The signal: A life-insurance-backed fund putting sustainability capital into quantum hardware shows how deep tech is being reframed around climate and health outcomes — and how patient investors are betting that university spinouts can turn frontier research into commercial infrastructure. Image credit: europeanspaceagency 89
Aug 24, 2026 · via app.dealroom.co