IonQ Fortifies Quantum Leadership with Groundbreaking Patents, Surpassing 1,000 Total IP Assets
Expanding patent portfolio accelerates IonQ's timeline toward quantum commercial advantage
IonQ (NYSE:IONQ), the leading commercial quantum computing and quantum networking company, today announced significant advancements in its intellectual property portfolio. This milestone is highlighted by the issuance of new U.S. patents that further solidify its technological advantage in trapped-ion quantum computing. These new patents contribute to IonQ's rapidly expanding IP estate, which now totals over 1,000 licensed, owned, or controlled patents as well as patent applications.
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* The total number of IonQ patents at 1,060 includes licensed, owned, or controlled granted patents and pending patent applications as of August 2025, including those from Lightsynq Technologies, IDQ (in which IonQ owns a majority stake), and Oxford Ionics (which IonQ intends to acquire pending closure pursuant to terms signed in June 2025).
"IonQ's robust and growing portfolio of patents is a direct result of the strategy set forth years ago, which entails developing and owning quantum technologies across multiple industries and applications," said Niccolo de Masi, Chairman and CEO of IonQ. "These patents position IonQ to continue to develop scalable, high-performance, cost effective systems that accelerate the timeline for unparalleled commercial quantum advantage."
IonQ has made deliberate, strategic technological and architectural choices to uniquely balance the core elements of commercial advantage: performance, scale, and enterprise-grade capabilities.1 Its most recent patent grants further build upon IonQ's existing technical achievements, which include quantum circuit optimization, improved gate operations, reduced noise, error mitigation techniques, and multi-beam improvements.1
IonQ's latest patents underscore the company's commitment to advancing the fundamental building blocks of quantum systems, from precision control to scalable architectures. Two exemplary patents highlight the company's innovative prowess in trapped-ion quantum computing and quantum networking.
Secure Long-Distance Quantum Networking: This patent enables portable quantum memory packages to store and connect photons to help build secure, long-distance quantum communication networks.
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US 12,260,113 - PORTABLE QUANTUM MEMORY PACKAGE FOR QUANTUM NETWORK NODES - Issued March 25, 2025
This patent relates to a quantum repeater comprising quantum memories configured to receive a photon to be stored in the quantum memories or provide a photon to a recipient outside of the outer package. Quantum memories provide a method of receiving, storing, and providing quantum information. In some cases, quantum memories may be deployed for use in large-scale optical fiber networks and/or quantum entanglement networks, for example as quantum repeaters, that store and effectively connect distributed entangled particles to provide secure, long-distance communications.
Self-Aligned Fabrication Process: This patent introduces a self-aligning process to transport light and couple photonic layers inside quantum memory devices.
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US 12,265,254 - SELF-ALIGNED FABRICATION PROCESS FOR COUPLING OF PHOTONIC WAVEGUIDE - Issued April 1, 2025
This patent relates to a quantum memory device comprising a 3D photonic structure configured to transport light between an optical fiber and the quantum memories, wherein the 3D photonic structure comprises photonic waveguide layers that have been photonically coupled via a self-aligned fabrication process. Accurate 3D alignment (e.g., nanometer-scale alignment) of multiple photonic materials may be obtained via self-aligned fabrication processes of this disclosure without the need for finely tuned alignment procedures.
"Our technical achievements and patents provide a clear indication of how IonQ's research and development teams are driving the production of scalable, high-performance, enterprise-grade systems," said Dean Kassmann, SVP of Engineering & Technology at IonQ. "These patents signal to the industry our strong technical innovations and our strategic, well-considered path towards performance that provides commercial quantum advantage over classical computing."
By continuously strengthening its IP, IonQ is not only protecting its core advancements but also laying the groundwork for future generations of quantum systems. The company's recent acquisitions have further broadened the scope of patents owned by IonQ as depicted in the attached overview of its intellectual property portfolio.
About IonQ
IonQ, Inc. (NYSE:IONQ) is the leading commercial quantum computing and networking company, delivering high-performance systems aimed at solving the world's most complex problems. IonQ's current generation quantum computers, IonQ Forte and IonQ Forte Enterprise, are the latest in a line of cutting-edge systems that have been helping customers and partners such as Amazon Web Services, AstraZeneca, and NVIDIA achieve 20x performance results.
The company is accelerating its technology roadmap and intends to deliver the world's most powerful quantum computers with 2 million qubits by 2030 to accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. IonQ's advancements in quantum networking also positions the company as a leader in building the quantum internet.
The company's innovative technology and rapid growth were recognized in Newsweek's 2025 Excellence Index 1000, Forbes' 2025 Most Successful Mid-Cap Companies list, and Built In's 2025 100 Best Midsize Places to Work in Washington DC and Seattle, respectively. Available through all major cloud providers, IonQ is making quantum computing more accessible and impactful than ever before. Learn more at IonQ.com.
IonQ Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Some of the forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words. Statements that are not historical in nature, including but not limited to the terms "accelerating," "advancements," "building," "continues," "deepening," "delivering," "driving," "expanding," "growth," "intends," "intent," "ongoing," "optimizing," and other similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include those related to the IonQ's quantum computing capabilities and plans; IonQ's technology driving commercial quantum advantage in the future; the necessity, effectiveness, and future impacts of IonQ's offerings available today; and the scalability, fidelity, efficiency, viability, accessibility, effectiveness, importance, reliability, performance, speed, impact, practicality, feasibility, and commercial-readiness of IonQ's offerings. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections, and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: IonQ's ability to implement its technical roadmap; changes in the competitive industries in which IonQ operates, including development of competing technologies; IonQ's inability to attract and retain key personnel; or IonQ's ability to deliver, and customers' ability to generate, value from IonQ's offerings. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's filings, including but not limited to those described in the "Risk Factors" section of IonQ's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and reports on Form 10-Q. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and IonQ assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. IonQ does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.
Works cited
- IonQ Strengthens Technical Moat with its Latest Series of Issued ..., accessed August 5, 2025, https://ionq.com/news/ionq-strengthens-technical-moat-with-its-latest-series-of-issued-patents
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