IonQ to acquire cybersecurity firm Elisity in an all-stock deal for up to $1.3 billion

Quantum computing platform IonQ said on Monday it will acquire cybersecurity company Elisity in an all-stock deal worth up to $1.3 billion, including up to $150 million in performance-based earnouts.

The move is designed to defend against and uncover attackers targeting generative AI large-language models and AI agents, and to protect against emerging quantum threats, the companies said in a press release.

"With Elisity and its team as part of IonQ, we will be well positioned to help customers protect critical infrastructure and enterprise networks throughout the transition to the quantum era," Niccolo de Masi, IonQ's chairman and CEO, said in the release.

The all-stock deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter, subject to regulatory approval, and would expand the quantum-computing company's cybersecurity portfolio.

IonQ shares fell more than 9% in afternoon trading. Other quantum computing stocks, including Rigetti Computing and D-Wave Quantum, also traded lower.

Elisity will retain its current leadership, including CEO James Winebrenner.

IonQ's stock has surged in recent months amid a buying spree. Most recently, the company bought semiconductor maker SkyWater Technology for $1.8 billion in July. In the past year and a half, IonQ has acquired several quantum companies, most notably U.K.-based quantum computing startup Oxford Ionics.

The deal follows two June executive orders from President Donald Trump aimed at building a quantum computer for scientific research by 2028 and protecting government systems from cyber threats. IonQ said in the release that the orders underscored the urgency of preparing for quantum computing threats.