IonQ Advances to Stage B of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI)

QBI selection reflects IonQ’s demonstrated quantum capabilities and its pioneering work on real-world applications

IonQ will help inform industry standards that will continue to shape the quantum computing industry

COLLEGE PARK, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), the world’s leading quantum company, today announced its selection for Stage B of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI). This selection follows IonQ’s successful completion of Stage A, where the company detailed its utility-scale quantum computing plans.

As a participant in QBI, IonQ plays a critical role in defining what it means for a quantum computer to achieve utility-scale performance - which will be defined through DARPA’s review of use cases and problem sets that require large scale machines.

“We’re honored to be selected for Stage B of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative. With commercial deployments of IonQ quantum systems worldwide – and availability on all three of the major cloud platforms – IonQ is uniquely positioned to contribute practical insights and technical advancements to this initiative,” said Niccolo de Masi, Chairman and CEO of IonQ. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with DARPA to support both our national security and national economic security. IonQ is already working on applications to accelerate drug discovery, modernize energy grid scheduling, decrease transportation costs, build safer cars, and design life-saving medical devices.”

QBI is structured into three stages. This first stage, Stage A, focused on defining the technical concept for a utility-scale quantum computer. IonQ has now been selected for the second stage, Stage B, which is dedicated to developing a detailed research and development roadmap through 2033 that includes technical requirements and designs. In the final stage, Stage C, companies selected will seek to confirm that the proposed system can be built and operated as intended for real-world implementation.

IonQ’s involvement in QBI supports the company’s mission to deliver on its commercial and technical goals. In June, the company revealed its accelerated technical roadmap and its intention to deliver the world’s most powerful quantum computers with 2 million physical qubits and 80,000 logical qubits by 2030. The company also announced that it has achieved a world record in quantum computing performance – 99.99% two-qubit gate performance. Finally, IonQ announced it hit a landmark #AQ 64 on its IonQ Tempo system, three months ahead of schedule. For more information about IonQ’s technical roadmap and current quantum systems, please visit www.ionq.com.

Note: IonQ is available on AWS Braket, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.

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 quantum computers, IonQ Tempo and IonQ Forte Enterprise, are the latest in 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.

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 the words accelerate, accelerating, advancements, build, contribute, decrease, defining, developing, design, forward, goal, intends, intention, modernize, plays, seek, will, and other similar terms are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include those related to the IonQ’s quantum capabilities and plans; the relevance and utility of applications run on IonQ’s quantum computers; the necessity, effectiveness, and future impacts of IonQ’s offering; and the scalability, accessibility, effectiveness, criticality, performance, impact, practicality, 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: changes in the competitive industries in which IonQ operates, including development of competing technologies; IonQ’s ability to implement its business plans, forecasts, roadmaps and other expectations, to identify and realize partnerships and opportunities, and to engage new and existing customers; IonQ’s ability to deliver, and customers’ ability to generate, value from IonQ’s offerings; IonQ’s ability to sell effectively to government entities and large enterprises; IonQ’s ability to deliver services and products within currently anticipated timelines; IonQ’s customers deciding or declining to extend contracts into new phases; changes in U.S. government spending or policy that may affect IonQ’s customers; and risks associated with U.S. government sales, including availability of funding and provisions that allow the government to unilaterally terminate or modify contracts for convenience. 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. IonQ may or may not choose to practice or otherwise use the inventions described in the issued patents in the future.