Quantum company IonQ has finalized its agreement with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI) for the delivery of a 100-qubit IonQ Tempo quantum computer to the facility.

First announced in May 2025, the agreement supports the Korean government’s quantum initiative, which will see the establishment of the first quantum computing center in the country.

According to IonQ, the Tempo quantum computer will be integrated into KISTI-6, the largest high-performance compute (HPC) cluster in Korea, resulting in the first instance of onsite hybrid quantum-classical integration in the country.

The computing environment will be made available to both South Korean academia and enterprise via a private cloud.

In a statement, IonQ said the finalization of the agreement also represents a “key milestone” in the establishment of South Korea’s National Quantum Computing Center of Excellence, with the company’s CEO Niccolo de Masi calling the project a “defining moment” for both IonQ and South Korea.

“Our historic collaboration with KISTI will deliver the infrastructure, algorithms, and expertise to unlock long-term technological and economic value from IonQ, leading quantum computers,” he added.

Dr. Sik Lee, president of KISTI, said: "By integrating IonQ's exceptional quantum systems into the next-generation national flagship supercomputer in KISTI… we are paving the way for groundbreaking research and innovation, creating practical solutions to real-world challenges in fields such as healthcare, finance, and materials science."

IonQ and QuantumBasel expand European partnership

The news comes several weeks after IonQ announced it was expanding its partnership with QuantumBasel by extending the contract grants for the ownership of an existing IonQ Forte Enterprise system by the initiative.

The new agreement will bring the value of the deal with QuantumBasel to more than $60 million, IonQ said in a statement. The company will also continue operating in Switzerland for an additional four years, extending its on-site presence at the QuantumBasel business park until 2029.

IonQ announced the delivery of the Forte Enterprise system to a quantum data center at the business park in August 2024, with the machine becoming the first IonQ quantum computer to be deployed in Europe.

An agreement between the partners to deploy two IonQ quantum computers in Switzerland and establish a European quantum data center was first unveiled in June 2023. That second system set for delivery is an IonQ Tempo machine, although no timeline for deployment has been announced.

“We are excited about our partnership with IonQ to jointly explore the possibilities Quantum Computing offers today and in the future. The on-site system also serves as a catalyst for a vibrant community at uptownBasel,“ said Thomas Landolt, CEO of QuantumBasel.

IonQ’s de Masi added: “Our extended partnership with QuantumBasel represents a cornerstone of IonQ’s global strategy. QuantumBasel continues to be a critical innovation node for our company as we expand quantum adoption. We’re growing a quantum-ready ecosystem in Europe that is capable of driving progress in material science, defense, AI, life sciences, logistics, and beyond.”

UptownBasel Infinity, a wholly owned subsidiary of the UptownBasel Group, runs QuantumBasel, its Center of Competence for Quantum and Artificial Intelligence.

UptownBasel is developing a 70,000 sqm (753,475 sq ft) technology campus for Industry 4.0 in Arlesheim near Basel. The Schorenareal site was previously a manufacturing site for the engineering firm BBC and later its successor, ABB. The hub is being funded by the family of Dr. Thomas Staehelin and Monique Staehelin.