BTQ Technologies and ICTK Complete Design of Next-Generation QCIM Security Chip Integrating PUF Technology
Rhea-AI Summary
BTQ Technologies (Nasdaq/CBOE CA: BTQ) announced completion of the design of its next-generation QCIM + PUF security chip, developed with Korean secure-element specialist ICTK. The chip integrates BTQ’s Quantum Compute-in-Memory cryptographic accelerator IP with ICTK’s VIA PUF™ technology to provide hardware-rooted authentication, cryptographic acceleration, and trusted device identity for IoT, AI, industrial systems, secure elements, edge devices, and connected infrastructure.
According to BTQ, QCIM enables low-power, low-latency support for both classical and post-quantum cryptography, while VIA PUF™ supplies unique hardware-derived identities. The design milestone advances a US$15 million BTQ–ICTK co-development and investment agreement signed in 2025. BTQ expects to ship test chips to key customers and strategic partners by year-end as part of its roadmap toward potential mass production and participation in the emerging quantum-era security semiconductor market.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Positive
- Design of next-generation QCIM + PUF chip completed, enabling hardware-rooted security and device identity for IoT, AI, industrial, and edge applications
- US$15 million BTQ–ICTK development and joint investment agreement underpins QCIM co-development and commercialization roadmap
- Test chips targeted for shipment by year-end to key customers and strategic partners for performance and functional validation
- QCIM architecture supports post-quantum cryptography in a compact, low-power block aimed at cryptographic agility
- Partnership with ICTK leverages its VIA PUF™ and secure-element capabilities and relationships with telecom and financial partners
Negative
- None.
Key Figures
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 08 | Acquisition completion | Positive | -5.0% | Completion of QPerfect acquisition adding quantum emulation and control capabilities. |
| Jul 02 | Product launch news | Positive | -9.1% | Commercial launch of QuREKA quantum cloud powered by QPerfect’s MIMIQ. |
| Jul 01 | Acquisition approval | Positive | -1.7% | Final French FDI approval and terms for full QPerfect acquisition. |
| Jun 23 | Leadership/advisor move | Positive | +32.2% | Appointment of U.S. Strategic Advisor for post-quantum security initiatives. |
| Jun 18 | ATM equity program | Negative | -21.8% | Announcement of at-the-market equity program up to C$150 million. |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Recent history shows frequent selloffs on strategic or acquisition news, with only the advisor appointment drawing a strong positive reaction.
Regulatory & Risk Context
Short positioning appears moderate, indicating some potential for volatility or short-covering moves around impactful news without signaling extreme speculative pressure.
Key Terms
quantum compute-in-memory technical
physically unclonable function technical
secure element technical
post-quantum cryptography technical
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
This news release constitutes a "designated news release" for the purposes of BTQ's prospectus supplement dated June 18, 2026, to its short form base shelf prospectus dated April 29, 2025, as amended on September 22, 2025.
BTQ's QCIM-based security IP and ICTK's VIA PUF™ technology combine to support hardware-rooted authentication for IoT, AI devices, industrial systems, and connected infrastructure
QCIM is BTQ's soft IP cryptographic accelerator architecture designed to support both classical and post-quantum cryptographic functions in a compact, low-power block. By executing cryptographic operations inside the memory subsystem, QCIM is designed to reduce latency, power consumption, and data movement while supporting crypto-agile security across a range of chip architectures and connected devices.
The next-generation QCIM quantum-security chip is being developed for use across IoT, AI devices, industrial systems, secure elements, edge devices, and other connected infrastructure where device authentication, security performance, and long-term cryptographic resilience are becoming increasingly important.
PUF, or Physically Unclonable Function, technology enables chips to generate unique hardware-derived identities based on microscopic manufacturing variations. Through the integration of ICTK's VIA PUF™ technology, BTQ's next-generation chip is designed to combine cryptographic agility with device-level authentication, helping establish whether a device is authentic, trusted, and suitable for use within high-assurance networks.
This milestone builds on BTQ's existing collaboration with ICTK. BTQ and ICTK first signed a memorandum of understanding in May 2025 to explore quantum-secure hardware solutions combining BTQ's post-quantum cryptography expertise with ICTK's secure-chip, PUF, and hardware-level security capabilities. In October 2025, the companies expanded that relationship through a
ICTK has established partnerships across telecommunications and financial services, including relationships with major mobile network operators such as LG U+, reinforcing the relevance of PUF-based hardware roots of trust for regulated finance, high-assurance communications, IoT, industrial systems, and critical infrastructure. The collaboration supports BTQ's expansion in
"The recent
The announcement follows recent
BTQ expects to ship test chips to key customers and strategic partners by year-end for performance and functional validation. These test chips are intended to support the Company's path toward mass production readiness and global market entry.
With its QCIM and PUF-based platform, developed alongside ICTK's secure element and VIA PUF™ capabilities, BTQ is positioning itself to address the emerging market for quantum-era security semiconductors, helping build the trusted infrastructure required for connected devices, critical networks, and next-generation computing systems.
About BTQ
BTQ Technologies Corp. (Nasdaq: BTQ | Cboe CA: BTQ) is a quantum technology company focused on accelerating the transition from classical networks to the quantum internet. Backed by a broad patent portfolio and deep technical expertise, BTQ is developing a full-stack, neutral-atom quantum computing platform spanning hardware, middleware, and post-quantum security solutions for finance, telecommunications, logistics, life sciences, and defense.
Connect with BTQ: Website | LinkedIn | X/Twitter
About ICTK
ICTK Co., Ltd. (KOSDAQ: 456010) commercialized the world's first Physical Unclonable Function (PUF), pioneering hardware-rooted security at scale. Its VIA PUF™ technology is fully passive and ECC-free, deriving each chip's unique identity from randomness scattered across hundreds of thousands of logic vias. This makes it virtually impossible to reverse-engineer and significantly more stable than conventional SRAM-based PUFs. For more information, please visit http://en.ictk.com/
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Olivier Roussy Newton
CEO, Chairman
Neither Cboe Canada nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities.
Forward Looking Information
Certain statements herein contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements or information include but are not limited to statements or information with respect to the business plans of the Company, including with respect to its research partnerships, and anticipated markets in which the Company may be listing its common shares. Forward-looking statements or information often can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan" or "may" and the variations of these words are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information.
The Company has made numerous assumptions including among other things, assumptions about general business and economic conditions, the development of post-quantum algorithms and quantum vulnerabilities, and the quantum computing industry generally. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive.
Although management of the Company believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information herein will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements and information are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks which may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results, expressed or implied, by such forward-looking statements or information. These factors include risks relating to: the availability of financing for the Company; business and economic conditions in the post-quantum and encryption computing industries generally; the speculative nature of the Company's research and development programs; the supply and demand for labour and technological post-quantum and encryption technology; unanticipated events related to regulatory and licensing matters and environmental matters; changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets; changes in laws (including regulations respecting blockchains); risks that QCIM, QSSN, Bitcoin Quantum, or other products may not achieve commercialization on the timelines anticipated or at all; risks that pilot programs and early-stage commercial deployments may not convert to revenue-generating contracts; risks relating to competition in the post-quantum cryptography and quantum computing industries; risks relating to the Company's dependence on key partnerships in South Korea and other jurisdictions; risks relating to changes in regulatory frameworks for digital assets, stablecoins, and post-quantum cryptographic standards; risks that the Bitcoin Quantum mainnet launch may not occur on the anticipated timeline or achieve the expected network adoption; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time in the Company's public disclosure documents filed on SEDAR+ and EDGAR. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/btq-technologies-and-ictk-complete-design-of-next-generation-qcim-security-chip-integrating-puf-technology-302822628.html
SOURCE BTQ Technologies Corp.