President Donald Trump on Monday signed two executive orders aimed at accelerating U.S. quantum computing development, according to multiple outlets including Yahoo and Quartz.
One order pushes for the construction of a research-grade quantum computer at a national lab, with reporting from qz.com framing the effort around a 2028 target. RTTNews reported the machine is intended for scientific discovery. Some coverage, such as Binance's, likened the ambition to a quantum "Manhattan Project."
The second order accelerates government defenses against future quantum cyberattacks. According to SecurityWeek, it speeds up migration to post-quantum cryptography — encryption designed to withstand quantum machines. Tech Times reported the mandate sets a 2030 deadline, citing concerns that adversaries are already harvesting encrypted data now to decrypt later once the technology matures. Industrial Cyber noted the orders link expanded quantum research with this cryptography transition to counter emerging cyber risks.
Markets responded quickly. According to Yahoo Finance, quantum-computing stocks rose in after-hours trading Monday, with foreignpolicyjournal.com pointing to gains in names including IonQ (IONQ), D-Wave (QBTS) and Rigetti (RGTI). Some commentators, per Moomoo, asked whether quantum could become "the next AI boom."
The orders also drew attention from the crypto world. Yahoo Finance reported that the move raised fresh questions for Bitcoin and XRP, since powerful quantum computers could eventually threaten the cryptography securing digital assets — a risk the industry is already preparing for.
Why it matters: quantum computing could one day break the encryption that protects everything from bank accounts to national secrets, so the orders signal that Washington now treats both building the machines and defending against them as a strategic priority.