Patent scrutiny grows around QBT Bitcoin mining invention
Rising competition and stricter patent reviews are making it harder for crypto companies to protect new technologies, especially in areas like innovation and intellectual property.
Quantum Blockchain Technologies PLC has revealed that its ASIC Ultra Boost patent application is facing objections from both European and US patent authorities, creating fresh uncertainty around the company’s Bitcoin mining technology.
The European Patent Office raised concerns over patentability and novelty, citing prior publications from the inventor, Nicolas Courtois, and an earlier Intel patent filing. QBT said the concerns are mainly related to the claim wording and scope, rather than the underlying technology itself.
Company attorneys are preparing revised claims and technical arguments ahead of the 23 August 2026 deadline to respond to European regulators. Chief executive Francesco Gardin said the feedback did not undermine the core invention and described the issues as manageable.
Meanwhile, the US Patent and Trademark Office has already issued a Final Rejection of the equivalent filing. QBT recently submitted amended claims following discussions with US examiners and expects further feedback within the coming weeks.
ASIC Ultra Boost aims to improve the efficiency of SHA-256 cryptographic hashing used in Bitcoin mining hardware.
Why does it matter?
The case highlights the growing competition to secure intellectual property around Bitcoin mining and blockchain infrastructure as companies race to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.
Increasing scrutiny from patent authorities also reflects the difficulty to proving originality in rapidly evolving crypto technologies, where many concepts are built on existing research and open-source development.
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