BTQ Applied sciences, a worldwide quantum know-how firm centered on securing mission-critical networks, is happy to announce it has signed a USD 15 million funding and growth settlement with ICTK, one in all Korea’s main safe factor (SE) chip producer.
This partnership goals to deal with the rising cybersecurity threats introduced on by the arrival of quantum computing, with a selected concentrate on safeguarding the digital asset and stablecoin markets. It additionally enhances Korea’s broader efforts to speed up the deployment of quantum-safe applied sciences throughout defence, finance and communications, reinforcing each commercialisation pace and self-reliance. By way of the co-development of a quantum-secure safe factor chip, often known as Quantum Compute in Reminiscence (QCIM), BTQ and ICTK will mix BTQ’s post-quantum cryptography (PQC) know-how and mental property with ICTK’s confirmed SE design and manufacturing capabilities to ship a commercially deployable, quantum-resistant {hardware} platform for next-generation monetary safety.
Beneath the collaboration, the businesses have entered into two key agreements:
- Growth Settlement: Joint design, validation, tape-outs, certification and productisation of the QCIM chip.
- Funding Settlement: BTQ’s direct fairness funding into ICTK, coupled with ICTK’s in-kind contribution by cost-sharing and preferential deployment of producing capability, aligning each corporations’ industrial pursuits and accelerating co-development and go-to-market execution.
- Commercialisation and Gross sales: The partnership will use ICTK’s established buyer base throughout Korea’s telecommunications and monetary sectors to allow early adoption of PQC-enabled safe chips. The businesses additionally plan to broaden joint commercialisation into worldwide markets the place demand for quantum-safe semiconductors is quickly rising throughout defence, IoT, AI and monetary providers.
As a KOSDAQ-listed secure-element chief, ICTK’s dedication offers sturdy third-party validation of QCIM’s industrial potential. ICTK is aligning its next-generation secure-element roadmap with QCIM, committing vital in-kind assets and preferential manufacturing capability to deliver the platform to market at scale.
The QCIM chip is being designed for high-assurance use circumstances, together with chilly and {hardware} wallets for digital belongings, cellular authentication and fintech safety, Web of Issues (IoT) endpoints, cost gateways and defence methods. By embedding PQC on the silicon layer, QCIM goals to ship end-to-end quantum-secure id, signing, attestation and safe storage for next-generation monetary and industrial networks. This joint growth represents a sensible and quick response to the hacking dangers which might be anticipated to surge with the emergence of quantum computing, offering the digital asset and stablecoin industries with a tangible path to future-proof their infrastructures. It additionally helps nationwide objectives to safe defence-grade communications and infrastructure below Korea’s know-how roadmap.
QCIM will incorporate BTQ’s CASH cryptographic acceleration as its engine for each classical and post-quantum primitives, offering companions with a sensible path to quantum-safe upgrades on the identical silicon whereas sustaining current buyer workflows unchanged. Latest testing reveals as much as 5 occasions sooner AES throughput in comparison with main safe {hardware}, reaching round a million digital signatures per second for real-time authentication, with power consumption below one microjoule per cryptographic operation, and a compact footprint appropriate for digital asset wallets, cellular authentication, Web of Issues gadgets, funds and defence methods.
“This settlement places quantum-safe safety on the heart of the worldwide silicon ecosystem,” stated Olivier Roussy Newton, the CEO of BTQ. “By combining BTQ’s QCIM platform, powered by our CASH acceleration, with ICTK’s secure-element experience, we give {hardware} makers a transparent path to embed post-quantum safety at scale. Simply as vital, ICTK’s choice as a KOSDAQ-listed producer to anchor its next-generation platform on QCIM and commit materials assets is highly effective exterior validation. The result’s silicon that meets efficiency, power and certification necessities, stays upgradeable as requirements advance, and drops into defence, vital infrastructure, IoT gadgets, funds, cellular authentication, AI and digital belongings with out altering how individuals use them.”
Jungwon Lee, the CEO of ICTK, stated: “ICTK has an extended monitor report of safe factor innovation throughout telecommunications and monetary providers. By teaming with BTQ, we’ll combine post-quantum safety natively into our next-gen SE platform, enabling prospects to undertake quantum-safe cryptography with the efficiency, certification and supply-chain scale they count on from ICTK.”
ICTK is recognised as Korea’s No. 1 safe factor chip firm, with intensive partnerships throughout telecommunications and monetary sectors, together with sturdy ties with cellular community operators similar to LG U+. The partnership underscores BTQ’s enlargement in Korea’s quantum safety market and aligns with BTQ’s broader technique to commercialise its Quantum-secure Infrastructure Stack throughout regulated finance and high-assurance communications.
Along with co-development, BTQ and ICTK are exploring collaboration in mass manufacturing, take a look at and world standardisation, together with engagement with worldwide requirements our bodies similar to ITU and ISO – with each events contributing assets and capital in complementary varieties. The businesses intend to pursue related safety and funds certifications to assist speedy buyer integration.
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