Quantum computing company IonQ aggressively expands its technological footprint by announcing the acquisition of Skyloom Global, a firm specializing in optical communication systems for Quantum Networks operating in space. This strategic move, supported by $3.5 billion in new funding, positions IonQ to rapidly build fault-tolerant, quantum-secure infrastructure.
IonQ Chairman and CEO Niccolò de Masi confirmed the plan, stating the acquisition significantly enhances the company’s capabilities in quantum computing, sensing, and networking. The primary objective is to advance IonQ’s global Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) platform. This platform integrates both ground and satellite systems, leveraging Skyloom’s space-based optical technology—often described as a fiberless internet for Earth—to securely transport quantum data.
By combining Skyloom’s space communication expertise with its existing assets, IonQ creates a comprehensive, full-stack quantum ecosystem. This unified approach supports the crucial real-time orbital transport and secure distribution of entanglement across the entire planet, fundamentally enhancing global data security via sophisticated quantum networks.
