IonQ to Acquire U.S. Optical Communications Leader Skyloom Global to Accelerate Worldwide QuantumNetworking and Sensing Infrastructure
Acquisition accelerates IonQ's full-stack quantum-secure communications and distributed quantum entanglement capabilities
IonQ (NYSE:IONQ), the world's leading quantum company, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Skyloom Global, a U.S.-based leader in high-performance optical communications infrastructure that enables secure, high-speed data links across Earth and in orbit.
Founded in 2017, Skyloom has established itself as the leading high-performance provider of Space Development Agency (SDA)-qualified Optical Communications Terminals (OCTs) for both satellite-to-satellite and satellite-to-ground laser communications. With almost 90 terminals delivered for SDA missions by 2025, Skyloom has already demonstrated scalable production of OCT hardware. Post-close, Skyloom CEO Marc Eisenberg will report to Frank Backes, President of Quantum Infrastructure at IonQ.
"This acquisition marks a pivotal acceleration for IonQ by adding high-bandwidth optical link capabilities to our global quantum platform. These optical links form the backbone for quantum-secure communications and next-generation quantum networking and distributed quantum entanglement infrastructure," said Niccolo de Masi, Chairman and CEO of IonQ. "Skyloom's technology expands IonQ's total addressable market while increasing downlinking speeds for our existing offerings."
Integrating Skyloom's optical networking systems into IonQ's broader infrastructure platform is expected to unlock immediate performance improvements by boosting data throughput by up to 500% and reducing latency for critical applications from many hours to under one hour. The addition of Skyloom's terminals also strengthens IonQ's ability to offer fully integrated quantum networking and distributed quantum entanglement capabilities across space and ground infrastructure.
"Joining IonQ marks a transformative moment for Skyloom that builds on our original mission of unlocking secure space communications," said Eisenberg. "By combining our OCT technology with IonQ's quantum capabilities, we're not just accelerating our roadmap, we're helping define the architecture for future quantum-secure communications and networking infrastructure."
The acquisition reflects IonQ's continued investment in building differentiated, full-stack quantum-secure communications platforms. This deal also follows the company's recent acquisitions of Qubitekk, Capella Space, Lightsynq and a super-majority stake in ID Quantique, reinforcing IonQ's position as the only global company building the complete stack from quantum compute and quantum sensing to secure quantum communications. With Skyloom, IonQ now owns all critical technology layers for distributed quantum entanglement and ultra-secure connectivity.
IonQ expects this deal to close following the completion of standard regulatory approvals.
About IonQ
IonQ, Inc. (NYSE:IONQ) is the world's leading quantum company delivering solutions to solve the world's most complex problems. IonQ's newest generation of 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 achieved 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance in 2025.
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 position the company as a leader in building the quantum internet.
IonQ has operations in Maryland, Washington, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Tennessee, United Kingdom, Toronto, South Korea, Sweden, and Switzerland. The company's innovative technology and rapid growth were recognized in Fortune Future 50, Newsweek's 2025 Excellence Index 1000, and Forbes' 2025 Most Successful Mid-Cap Companies list. Available through all major cloud providers, IonQ is making quantum more accessible and impactful than ever before. Learn more at IonQ.com.
Note to Investors Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding our expectations regarding the closing of the Skyloom acquisition and its impact on our business. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "pending," "look forward," "accelerate," "anticipate," "expect," "suggest," "plan," "believe," "intend," "estimate," "target," "project," "should," "could," "would," "may," "will," "forecast," "confident" and other similar expressions. These statements are only predictions based on our expectations and projections about future events as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may prove incorrect, any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including, among others, those described under the heading "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2025, June 30, 2025 and September 30, 2025 filed with the SEC. New risks emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for our management to predict all risks, nor can management assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement we make. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. Except as otherwise required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251117057717/en/
IonQ Media Contact:
[email protected]
IonQ Investor Contact:
[email protected]