IBM and SIT to launch quantum-safe cybersecurity center in Singapore

IBM and SIT plan to launch a Quantum-Safe Centre in Singapore by end-2026 to help organizations prepare for post-quantum security risks.

IBM and the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) plan to open a Quantum-Safe Centre by the end of 2026 to help organizations prepare for cybersecurity risks associated with advances in quantum computing.

The center will be based at SIT's Punggol campus within the Punggol Digital District. Its work will cover cryptographic risk assessments, testing of quantum-safe technologies, professional training, and applied research.

Current encryption methods protect data across financial services, healthcare, government systems, and critical infrastructure. Advances in quantum computing have raised concerns that sufficiently powerful quantum computers could eventually break some of the public-key cryptographic algorithms used today.

One related threat is known as "harvest now, decrypt later," where encrypted information is collected and stored with the intention of decrypting it when suitable quantum computing capabilities become available. The threat is particularly relevant to data that must remain confidential for long periods.

Singapore sets quantum-safe direction

Singapore has already established a wider framework for preparing for this risk. The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) said in March 2026 that post-quantum cryptography would be the country's mainstream approach to quantum-safe migration, with standards developed by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) serving as a baseline.

CSA considers quantum key distribution, or QKD, a complementary technology for specialized applications such as high-assurance communications. Singapore is also deploying two nationwide quantum-safe networks through its National Quantum-Safe Network Plus initiative, which is intended to provide businesses with access to PQC and QKD technologies.

The IBM-SIT center will form part of that broader preparation effort, with a focus on helping organizations identify potentially vulnerable cryptography and assess their readiness to migrate to quantum-safe alternatives. It will also support planning for the replacement or updating of affected systems.

Guidance published by CSA, GovTech, and IMDA in July 2026 describes quantum-safe migration as a complex, multi-year undertaking. It advises organizations to identify critical systems and data, assess their readiness, and develop migration plans.

The updated Quantum Readiness Index, jointly developed by CSA, GovTech, and IMDA, assesses organizational readiness across five domains. It is designed to help organizations identify gaps and prioritize actions for quantum-safe migration.

NIST finalized ML-KEM for key establishment and ML-DSA and SLH-DSA for digital signatures in August 2024.

NIST has advised organizations to begin adopting the standards rather than waiting for cryptographically relevant quantum computers to emerge. Under NIST's proposed transition timeline, quantum-vulnerable algorithms are expected to be deprecated and ultimately removed from its standards by 2035, with higher-risk systems transitioning earlier.

Testing migration in practice

IBM and SIT said organizations will be able to test quantum-safe technologies through the Punggol Digital District's testbed environment. The center will use IBM technologies including Guardium Cryptography Manager and Quantum Safe Explorer.

NIST has identified cryptographic inventory as an early step in post-quantum migration, allowing organizations to locate vulnerable algorithms across software, protocols, certificates, and key-management systems before prioritizing systems for replacement. The center plans to use IBM's tools for similar cryptographic discovery and assessment work.

The center will also offer two Continuing Education and Training programs jointly developed by SIT and IBM. The courses will target senior business leaders and technical practitioners, covering the development of quantum-safe strategies and the practical steps involved in preparing existing systems for new cryptographic standards.

IBM and SIT also plan to run briefings and workshops focused on post-quantum security risks. The center's wider remit includes applied research and collaboration between industry, academia, and government.

Singapore's financial sector has already begun testing quantum-safe technologies. MAS has worked with DBS, HSBC, OCBC, UOB, SPTel, and SpeQtral on a QKD sandbox, while MAS and Banque de France have separately tested post-quantum cryptography for electronic communications between the two institutions.

The MAS-Banque de France experiment used quantum-resistant algorithms to digitally sign and encrypt emails. The experiment also found that supporting infrastructure, including digital certificates, public-key infrastructure, key exchanges, and communications protocols, needs to accommodate post-quantum cryptography.

Michael Osborne, chief technology officer of IBM Quantum Safe, has been appointed SIT's first Distinguished Visiting Scientist and will contribute to the center's education and research work. His role will include working with organizations and researchers on the adoption of post-quantum security practices.

"Preparing for the post-quantum era requires more than new cryptographic standards — it requires organizations to understand their security posture today, identify their vulnerabilities, and have a clear path forward," Osborne said.

SIT President Chua Kee Chaing said workforce development would form part of the initiative alongside the technical work involved in changing existing cryptographic systems.

"Quantum-safe cybersecurity is not just a technical challenge — it is a workforce readiness challenge," Chua said.

The training component also sits within Singapore's broader investment in quantum expertise. The government has committed an additional S$300 million over five years to its National Quantum Strategy, while the National Quantum Scholarships Scheme aims to support 100 PhD students and 100 master's students by 2030.

The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore has backed the planned center as part of the country's broader work on quantum-safe readiness.

"Strengthening Singapore's quantum-safe readiness requires close collaboration across government, industry, and academia," Ong Kok Wee, assistant chief executive for policy and corporate development at CSA, said. "Initiatives like this provide practical support for organizations in building awareness and developing the capabilities needed for quantum-safe readiness and resilience."