Quantum Computing Digest — Q3 2018

The third quarter of 2018 marked a shift toward practical preparedness in quantum computing, with post-quantum cryptography moving from concept to commercial partnerships and national strategies gaining concrete funding and legislative momentum. Hardware providers advanced simulation capabilities and photonics, while quantum communication achieved new performance records. Though fully fault-tolerant, large-scale systems remained years away, the quarter’s developments demonstrated the ecosystem was actively building the security, policy, and application foundations required for eventual quantum advantage.

Post-Quantum Cryptography Transitions to Commercial Reality 

Industry leaders formed alliances to deliver quantum-safe solutions: DigiCert, Gemalto, and ISARA partnered to integrate post-quantum certificates and agile cryptography, while InfoSec Global and wolfSSL advanced transport-layer security (TLS) implementations. Discussions around lattice-based encryption schemes and hybrid certificate approaches gained prominence. Enterprises began recognizing the importance of initiating cryptographic system migration planning immediately to counter potential future “harvest now, decrypt later” attacks.These partnerships signaled that quantum-resistant standards were moving from research labs into deployable products.

National Strategies and Funding Gain Momentum 

The United States advanced the National Quantum Initiative with bipartisan support, while Israel allocated substantial government funding for quantum technology development. The National Sciencce Foundation, or NSF, awarded significant grants to quantum projects, and policy reports highlighted the strategic implications of quantum hegemony. Internationally, concerns over technology leadership intensified, positioning quantum investment as a core component of economic and national security planning.

Quantum Communication and Sensing Achieve New Milestones 

Toshiba demonstrated high-speed quantum key distribution exceeding previous rates, while Chinese researchers reported progress on quantum radar capable of detecting stealth targets. Satellite-based cybersecurity consortia expanded, and new methods for generating truly random numbers via phase fluctuations strengthened cryptographic primitives. Such advancements brought practical quantum-secure communication closer to operational deployment in defense and critical infrastructure contexts.

Hardware Platforms and Commercial Ecosystems Expand 

Atos launched a 41-qubit quantum simulator, Rigetti introduced its Quantum Cloud Services platform, and startups such as Zapata Computing deepened collaborations with IBM and Google. A dedicated quantum computing ETF debuted, reflecting growing investor interest, while Ford signed agreements to access NASA’s quantum resources for optimization challenges. These moves illustrated a broadening commercial environment bridging research and enterprise application.

Fundamental Research Strengthens Core Capabilities 

Yale researchers developed new fault-tolerance techniques to protect against information leakage, and strides in ytterbium-based quantum memory and silicon-chip photon sources improved coherence and integration prospects. Progress in characterizing quantum devices more efficiently and simulating particle dynamics on classical systems supported ongoing efforts to scale physical qubits reliably.

Q3 2018 crystallized the realization of quantum technologies no longer being purely academic. Commercial quantum-safe products appeared, national initiatives secured funding, and performance records in secure communication were being broken. The quarter established critical bridges between today’s classical infrastructure and tomorrow’s quantum reality, emphasizing strategic readiness in security, policy, and talent will determine what organization, nation, or nation-state benefits most from the coming quantum era.