Quantum computing

China pushes quantum computing towards industrial use

A Chinese startup has used quantum computing to improve breast cancer screening accuracy, highlighting how the technology could transform medical diagnostics—based in Hefei, Origin Quantum applied its superconducting quantum processor to analyse medical images faster and more precisely.

China is accelerating efforts to turn quantum research into industrial applications, with companies focusing on areas such as drug discovery, smart cities and finance. Government backing and national policy have driven rapid growth in the sector, with over 150 firms now active in quantum computing.

In addition to medical uses, quantum algorithms are being tested in autonomous parking, which has dramatically cut wait times. Banks and telecom firms have also begun adopting quantum solutions to improve operational efficiency in areas like staff scheduling.

The merging of quantum computing with AI is seen as the next significant step, with Origin Quantum recently fine-tuning a billion-parameter AI model on its quantum system. Experts expect the integration of these technologies to shift from labs to practical use in the next five years.

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Pasqal opens Canada factory, sells quantum computer to Distriq

French quantum computing firm Pasqal has deepened its North American presence by selling a 100-qubit quantum processor and opening a significant manufacturing facility in Sherbrooke, Québec.

The processor was sold to Distriq, a quantum innovation hub in Sherbrooke, which aims to strengthen Québec’s growing quantum technology ecosystem.

The deal was backed by a CA$9.6 million (US$7.1m) loan from the Québec Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy and Investissement Québec, alongside CA$2.4 million (US$1.8m) from the National Bank of Canada and CA$1.2 million (US$883,000) from Canada Economic Development for Québec Regions.

Pasqal confirmed that the system would be manufactured and installed in Sherbrooke and made available to Canadian researchers and industries.

The firm also inaugurated its first North American manufacturing site—its second globally—in Sherbrooke’s 50,000 sq ft Espace Quantique 1 building. The facility will focus on producing Pasqal’s next-generation quantum processors.

The factory was supported by a CA$15 million (US$11m) loan from Investissement Québec, positioning Pasqal among Canada’s most significant quantum players.

‘These achievements signal that quantum computing is no longer a future promise—it has become a reality today,’ said Wasiq Bokhari, Pasqal’s executive chairman.

Distriq VP Mehdi Bozzo-Rey called the acquisition a ‘major milestone’ in supplying Québec with industrial quantum capabilities.

Founded in 2019, Pasqal counts Nobel Laureate Alain Aspect among its co-founders. The company has installed systems in Saudi Arabia and Germany, and in early June 2025, it acquired Canadian photonics company Aeponyx to bolster its hardware capabilities.

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Oxford physicists set new qubit accuracy record

Physicists at the University of Oxford have achieved a ground‑breaking error rate in quantum logic operations, reducing it to just 0.000015 percent, one mistake in 6.7 million operations. The result marks nearly a ten‑fold improvement over their previous record set in 2014.

The team used a trapped calcium ion qubit controlled by microwave signals instead of lasers to achieve high stability at room temperature and eliminate the need for magnetic shielding. However, this method offers cheaper, more robust control that fits with ion‑trap chip technology.

Reducing the error rate helps shrink the infrastructure needed for error correction, meaning future quantum computers could be smaller, faster and more efficient. They still lag, with around one in 2,000 error rates, highlighting further challenges for full‑scale quantum systems.

The findings, published in Physical Review Letters, bring practical quantum computing a significant step closer. The Oxford researchers involved include Professor David Lucas, Molly Smith, Aaron Leu and Dr Mario Gely.

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Quantum computing threatens Bitcoin: Experts debate timeline

Recent breakthroughs in quantum computing have revived fears about the long-term security of Bitcoin (BTC).

With IBM aiming to release the first fault-tolerant quantum computer, the IBM Quantum Starling, by 2029, experts are increasingly concerned that such advancements could undermine Bitcoin’s cryptographic backbone.

Bitcoin currently relies on elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) and the SHA-256 hashing algorithm to secure wallets and transactions. However, both are potentially vulnerable to Shor’s algorithm, which a sufficiently powerful quantum computer could exploit.

Google quantum researcher Craig Gidney warned in May 2025 that quantum resources required to break RSA encryption had been significantly overestimated. Although Bitcoin uses ECC, not RSA, Gidney’s research hinted at a threat window between 2030 and 2035 for crypto systems.

Opinions on the timeline vary. Adam Back, Blockstream CEO and early Bitcoin advocate, believes a quantum threat is still at least two decades away. However, he admitted that future progress could force users to migrate coins to quantum-safe wallets—potentially even Satoshi Nakamoto’s dormant holdings.

Others are more alarmed. David Carvalho, CEO of Naoris Protocol, claimed in a June 2025 op-ed that Bitcoin could be cracked within five years, pointing to emerging technologies like Microsoft’s Majorana chip. He estimated that nearly 30% of BTC is stored in quantum-vulnerable addresses.

‘Just one breach could destroy trust in the entire ecosystem,’ Carvalho warned, noting that BlackRock has already acknowledged the quantum risk in its Bitcoin ETF filings.

Echoing this urgency, billionaire investor Chamath Palihapitiya said in late 2024 that SHA-256 could be broken within two to five years if companies scale quantum chips like Google’s 105-qubit Willow. He urged the crypto industry to start updating encryption protocols before it’s too late.

While truly fault-tolerant quantum machines capable of breaking Bitcoin are not yet available, the accelerating pace of research suggests that preparing for a quantum future is no longer optional—it’s a necessity.

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New ion trap chip paves way for scalable quantum systems

Researchers at the Quantum Systems Accelerator have announced significant progress in building scalable, stable quantum computers focusing on trapped-ion technology.

Their work marks a series of engineering milestones pushing quantum computing toward practical use.

A new ion trap chip can store up to 200 ions and significantly reduces power loss by redesigning its internal layout.

Developed and tested with collaborators at Duke and Cornell in the US, this design allows for the future creation of far larger qubit systems without overheating or energy waste.

At the University of Maryland, a team achieved parallel quantum gate operations using different spatial directions, overcoming prior interference issues.

However, this innovation boosts processing speed and accuracy, offering more efficient handling of time-sensitive quantum tasks.

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Vitalik unveils Lean Ethereum for post-quantum protection

Ethereum developers have revealed a ‘Lean Ethereum‘ roadmap that seeks to simplify the blockchain’s base layer while preparing it for post-quantum security. The proposal was discussed by co-founder Vitalik Buterin and researcher Justin Drake during a Berlin conference session.

The plan prioritises three core goals: enhanced security through post-quantum signatures, reduced complexity in Ethereum’s structure, and improved efficiency to lower latency and costs.

Developers are already exploring four research tracks, including a three-step-finality protocol, quantum-resistant signatures, zero-knowledge virtual machines, and improved data layering through erasure coding.

Under the broader ‘lean’ concept, Ethereum may soon adopt lean staking, verifiability for low-power devices, and simplified cryptographic design. Modular logic and formal checks are part of the plan, aligned with zkEVM pilots and inclusion list development.

Although the roadmap doesn’t suggest an immediate upgrade, the Ethereum Foundation described it as a cohesive strategy that ties current innovation to long-term resilience. Core teams will prototype components and assess trade-offs in ongoing working group discussions.

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Quantum cybersecurity goes live in Paris

Orange Business and Toshiba Europe have launched France’s first commercial quantum-safe network service in Paris.

The Orange Quantum Defender, now living in the greater Paris region, aims to shield organisations from cyber threats posed by future quantum computing capabilities.

The service combines Toshiba’s Quantum Key Distribution and Post-Quantum Cryptography technologies to protect sensitive data with a multi-layered approach. A major French financial institution already uses the network to safeguard its critical infrastructure.

After years of testing, the partners confirmed the system works over existing fibre networks, cutting costs and easing enterprise adoption.

Leaders at both companies say the launch marks a turning point in cybersecurity preparedness for the quantum age.

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IBM sets 2029 target for quantum breakthrough

IBM has set out a detailed roadmap to deliver a practical quantum computer by 2029, marking a major milestone in its long-term strategy.

The company plans to build its ‘Starling’ quantum system at a new data centre in Poughkeepsie, New York, targeting around 200 logical qubits—enough to begin outperforming classical computers in specific tasks instead of lagging due to error correction limitations.

Quantum computers rely on qubits to perform complex calculations, but high error rates have held back their potential. IBM shifted its approach in 2019, designing error-correction algorithms based on real, manufacturable chips instead of theoretical models.

The change, as the company says, will significantly reduce the qubits needed to fix errors.

With confidence in its new method, IBM will build a series of quantum systems until 2027, each advancing toward a larger, more capable machine.

Vice President Jay Gambetta stated the key scientific questions have already been resolved, meaning what remains is primarily an engineering challenge instead of a scientific one.

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Oxford physicists push qubit precision to new heights

Oxford University physicists have achieved a world-first in quantum computing by setting a new record for single-qubit operation accuracy.

Using a trapped calcium ion as the qubit, the researchers controlled its state using electronic microwave signals instead of lasers.

Their experiment produced an error rate of just 0.000015 percent, or one mistake in 6.7 million operations, nearly ten times better than the previous benchmark set by the same team. The breakthrough brings quantum computers a step closer to becoming viable tools.

This more stable and cost-effective approach was conducted at room temperature and without magnetic shielding, simplifying future hardware requirements.

The precision reduces the number of qubits needed for error correction, making future quantum machines potentially smaller and faster.

Despite the milestone, the researchers emphasised the need to improve two-qubit gate fidelity, where error rates remain significantly higher.

The project is part of the UK Quantum Computing and Simulation Hub, with wider support from the National Quantum Technologies Programme.

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Quantum light beats AI at its own game in surprise photonic experiment

A small-scale quantum device developed by researchers at the University of Vienna has outperformed advanced classical machine learning algorithms—including some used in today’s leading AI systems—using just two photons and a glass chip.

The experiment suggests that useful quantum advantage could arrive far sooner than previously thought, not in massive future machines but in today’s modest photonic setups.

The team’s six-mode processor doesn’t rely on raw speed to beat traditional systems. Instead, it harnesses a uniquely quantum property: the way identical particles interfere. This interference naturally computes mathematical structures known as permanents, which are computationally expensive for classical systems.

By embedding these quantum calculations into a pattern-recognition task, the researchers consistently achieved higher classification accuracy across multiple datasets.

Crucially, the device operates with extreme energy efficiency, offering a promising route to sustainable AI. Co-author Iris Agresti highlighted the growing energy costs of modern machine learning and pointed to photonic quantum systems as a potential solution.

These early results could pave the way for new applications in areas where training data is limited and classical methods fall short—redefining the future of AI and quantum computing alike.

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