IonQ to acquire Elisity in $1.3 billion cybersecurity deal

IonQ, a quantum computing company, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Elisity, a Zero Trust security firm, in an all-stock transaction valued at up to $1.3 billion. The deal includes up to $150 million in performance-based earnouts and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, pending regulatory approval.

The acquisition aims to integrate IonQ’s post-quantum cryptography and quantum key distribution capabilities with Elisity’s enterprise Zero Trust technology platform. This combination is intended to protect critical infrastructure and enterprise networks against both current cybersecurity threats, such as large language models, and emerging risks posed by future quantum computing capabilities.

Elisity, founded in 2019, specializes in microsegmentation and identity-based access controls through its IdentityGraph platform. The company has reported doubling its revenue and customer base year-over-year with zero churn. Following the merger, Elisity CEO James Winebrenner is expected to continue leading the business unit. IonQ views this move as a strategic entry into the $10 billion microsegmentation market.