IonQ closes $1.8bn SkyWater acquisition after US FTC clearance

Quantum computing steadfast IonQ has completed the antecedently announced acquisition of US-based semiconductor foundry SkyWater Technology successful a transaction valued astatine astir $1.8bn.

The woody follows regulatory clearance, including aboriginal termination of the US Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) reappraisal process. The companies announced the statement successful January 2026, outlining plans to make a vertically integrated quantum level company.

SkyWater shareholders volition speech each of their shares successful the institution for $15.00 successful currency and 0.4883 shares of IonQ communal stock.

IonQ is listed connected the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), portion SkyWater Technology antecedently traded connected the NASDAQ.

Following completion, SkyWater operates arsenic a subsidiary of IonQ nether the SkyWater name. SkyWater CEO Thomas Sonderman volition pb the subsidiary and study to IonQ's president and CEO Niccolo de Masi.

The institution volition proceed to present precocious technology, wafer, and precocious packaging services, arsenic good arsenic atomic clocks and quantum interconnects. Its facilities successful Minnesota, Florida, and Texas volition stay active.

SkyWater is 1 of the largest exclusively US-based semiconductor foundries. It volition support its enactment for existing markets successful aerospace, defence, and commercialized sectors, portion besides incorporating IonQ's quantum technologies into its offerings.

Furthermore, SkyWater volition supply exertion for applications successful AI and the Internet of Things. Under IonQ ownership, it volition besides proviso quantum sensors and networking solutions to its customers and partners.

Sonderman said: "Joining the IonQ squad marks a pivotal infinitesimal successful SkyWater's evolution. As the largest semiconductor foundry based successful the US, SkyWater is already the spouse of prime for precocious improvement and manufacturing services successful some the nationalist and backstage sectors arsenic quantum computing shifts from probe to manufacturing.

"Being portion of IonQ volition accelerate aggregate engineering pathways for next-generation quantum chips, delivering speed, precision, and scale. Importantly, SkyWater remains afloat committed to each of our semiconductor foundry customers and volition proceed arsenic the quantum supplier of prime with an adjacent broader acceptable of quantum sensing and quantum networking solutions for our customers and partners."

IonQ expects the acquisition to beforehand its improvement successful fault-tolerant quantum computing. The combined resources are intended to amended manufacturing timelines, peculiarly by decreasing wafer iteration times and enabling parallel wafer prototypes.