IonQ to acquire cybersecurity firm Elisity for 1.8 trillion won

[Financial News] U.S. quantum computing company IonQ will acquire cybersecurity firm Elisity for up to $1.3 billion (about 1.8 trillion won).
IonQ announced on the 12th (local time) that it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire Elisity in an all-stock transaction.
The purchase price includes up to $150 million (about 200 billion won) in earnout payments, contingent on Elisity’s future performance. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter.
Founded in 2019, Elisity provides a “zero trust” security platform that prevents hackers or ransomware from spreading within organizations. Its revenue and customer base doubled in a year, and it supplies its platform to at least 100 organizations, including Fortune 500 companies.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) said IonQ’s quantum computing technology aims to solve problems that conventional computers struggle with, from drug development to defense, and predicted that the acquisition would strengthen its ability to respond to cybersecurity threats, including those related to artificial intelligence (AI) agents.
IonQ CEO Niccolo de Masi said, “Bad actors will continue to exploit new technologies,” adding, “We are entering the most dangerous period in terms of cybersecurity risks.”
He added, “Q-Day is approaching much faster than expected.” Q-Day refers to the point at which quantum computers become capable of cracking encryption systems widely used today, rendering existing systems ineffective.
IonQ, which works closely with the U.S. Department of Defense, has recently expanded its business through an aggressive M&A strategy. In July, it acquired contract chipmaker SkyWater Technology for about $1.8 billion (about 2.5 trillion won), and also acquired Oxford Ionics in the United Kingdom, among others.
IonQ shares plunged 9.1% to close at $36.27 on the New York stock market that day.


[email protected] Lee Seok-woo, international affairs correspondent Reporter