The world of secure communications is on the brink of a quiet revolution. A handful of engineers from Radical Semiconductor have joined the board of BTQ Technologies, a company that has already made a name for itself in the nascent quantum‑computing arena. Their arrival signals a shift from research to mass‑market deployment of post‑quantum cryptography (PQC) hardware that can keep pace with the speed of tomorrow’s threats.
A new leadership team to accelerate quantum‑safe hardware
BTQ’s latest move brings Sean Hackett, former chief executive of Radical, and Zach Belateche, a specialist in high‑efficiency accelerator architectures, into full‑time roles. Hackett will steer the silicon product line, while Belateche will head hardware security. Anne Reinders, who has long overseen BTQ’s cryptographic strategy, remains at the helm of the company’s cryptography division. Together, they form a trio that spans silicon design, security engineering, and standards compliance.
Their combined experience is already reflected in BTQ’s flagship product, the Cryptographically Agile Secure Hardware (CASH). In an industry where silicon development cycles can stretch beyond four years, the trio’s focus on rapid, modular design promises a different timeline. “We’re building a cryptographic engine that doesn’t compromise,” Belateche told reporters, underscoring the need for hardware that can adapt as standards evolve.
CASH: a memory‑centric accelerator that redefines performance and power
CASH is not a conventional cryptographic co‑processor. It is a memory‑centric acceleration architecture that performs computation where data already resides, a technique known as processing‑in‑memory. By eliminating the need to shuttle data between memory and logic, CASH reduces both latency and energy consumption. Benchmarks from recent internal tests show the chip can produce up to one million digital signatures per second using lattice‑based schemes such as ML‑DSA and ML‑KEM, and it can process AES encryption up to five times faster than leading secure hardware on the market.
The chip’s efficiency is striking. Each cryptographic operation consumes less than a microjoule of energy, a figure that translates into a battery life extension of several days for a typical Internet‑of‑Things sensor. The physical footprint is equally modest, allowing the technology to fit into smart cards, automotive control units, or even the thin‑film layers of a data‑center server.
Beyond raw speed, CASH delivers a suite of primitives that align with current and forthcoming standards. It supports hash‑based signatures such as SLH‑DSA, as well as SHA‑3, Keccak, and KMAC. This breadth makes it suitable for a wide range of applications,from payment terminals that need instant authentication to AI accelerators that require a quantum‑safe root of trust.
From chip to policy: integrating CASH into QCIM and aligning with U.S. PQC frameworks
CASH’s journey does not stop at the silicon level. BTQ plans to embed the accelerator into its Quantum Compute in Memory (QCIM) platform, a general‑purpose cryptographic engine that can be licensed as synthesizable silicon IP, a discrete co‑processor, or, in the future, a chiplet. This modularity allows partners to target different foundry nodes and to mix and match security functions with their own application processors.
The integration strategy is designed to keep pace with regulatory momentum. In the United States, the White House and Congress have signalled a push to migrate federal systems and critical infrastructure to quantum‑safe standards, building on guidance from the Office of Management and Budget and national security agencies. The Post Quantum Financial Infrastructure Framework, submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission, outlines a phased approach for financial institutions to adopt NIST‑approved algorithms such as FIPS 203, 204, and 205.
By positioning CASH within QCIM, BTQ offers a solution that can be retrofitted into existing devices without a complete redesign. A payment terminal that currently uses a legacy security chip could, in principle, swap in a QCIM‑based co‑processor that supports the latest lattice‑based algorithms, thereby future‑proofing the device without a costly overhaul.
This alignment is not merely technical; it is strategic. The ability to migrate to quantum‑safe standards without disrupting customer workflows is a selling point in regulated sectors such as energy, telecommunications, and finance. The company’s roadmap, which includes a quantum‑secure stablecoin network and hardware wallets, shows a clear path from silicon to real‑world applications.
Looking ahead
The convergence of cutting‑edge silicon design, flexible integration pathways, and a policy environment that favours quantum‑safe standards positions BTQ at a pivotal junction. The company’s leadership, armed with deep expertise in both hardware and cryptography, is steering a technology that could redefine how secure devices are built. As quantum computers edge closer to practical relevance, the need for hardware that can adapt to new algorithms without sacrificing performance or power will only grow.
In the coming years, the real test will be how quickly industry players adopt CASH‑enabled solutions and how the broader ecosystem responds to the regulatory push for post‑quantum readiness. If the company’s promise of rapid, modular, and efficient quantum‑safe hardware proves its worth, it could set a new standard for secure computing that balances speed, security, and flexibility in a world where the next generation of threats is already on the horizon.
