Sectors & markets
Singapore: Turning Quantum Research into Business Opportunity
Software, AI, Cloud, Quantum
Date: October 1, 2026
Zone: ASEAN-O
Country: Singapore
Sector: T&S
Sub-sector(s): Software, AI, Cloud, Quantum
Format type: Brief
Section: Market Trends
Theme: Quantum
Title: Turning Quantum Research into Business Opportunity
Singapore is moving its quantum technologies from the lab to the market, and the ambition is backed by concrete resources. Since 2024, the National Quantum Strategy has committed close to S$300 million over five years for engineering, commercialisation and talent development, on top of investments made since 2002. Quantum is also part of RIE2030, the new five-year research and innovation plan worth S$37 billion, alongside AI.
The country is not waiting for a fully functional quantum computer: it is betting on a hybrid approach, in which quantum computing supports classical computing on specific optimisation or simulation problems. Finance illustrates this logic well: in July 2026, UOB and the Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT) launched a project to explore quantum methods for valuing complex financial derivatives. To support this momentum, the Monetary Authority of Singapore has committed an additional S$100 million under its FSTI programme (Financial Sector Technology and Innovation Scheme), with a track dedicated to quantum and AI.
Drug discovery is another promising area, with a direct French connection: since 2026, and for two years, the CQT has been collaborating with Qubit Pharmaceuticals, a French computational drug discovery company, to develop quantum algorithms for molecular modelling.
The ecosystem is also attracting major international names: Quantinuum opened an R&D centre in Singapore in March 2026, making it the first country outside the United States to host its latest-generation quantum computer, Helios. According to McKinsey, the global quantum technology market could reach between S$77 billion and S$128 billion by 2035, of which S$55 billion to S$91 billion for quantum computing alone — an opportunity Singapore intends to capture by positioning itself as a regional platform, combining cutting-edge research, semiconductor capabilities and major industrial users.
Source: “Pietro Guzzetti, 21/09/2026, EE Times”
