IonQ announced the launch of Superion 256, a sixth-generation quantum computing platform based on ion traps. The first fully integrated 256-qubit quantum processor (QPU) is manufactured by IonQ subsidiary SkyWater. Developers claim the system is fully functional and scalable “Up to millions of qubits.” Future plans are to build all future IonQ quantum computing products on it.
Image source: IonQ
IonQ has captured the first ions in a prototype Superion 256 system, which is currently being developed in parallel at multiple IonQ facilities across the United States. QPU, jointly developed and manufactured by IonQ and SkyWater, has gone through six stages of preparation and will be released in the first half of 2026. Thanks to the close collaboration, the design cycle was shortened from nine months to two months.
“Superion is the result of the combination of two strategic acquisitions that achieve a historic milestone. Oxford Ionics enables IonQ to control ion traps using off-the-shelf electronics, while SkyWater opens the possibility of manufacturing at semiconductor prices and costs. [широких] scale”“, said Niccolo de Masi, Chairman and CEO of IonQ.
Quantum computing, like classical computing before it, will eventually scale most efficiently on semiconductors, he said. He emphasized that Superion 256 is the first quantum computer platform initially developed for release “Hundreds of copies”.
The system is powered by IonQ’s Electronic Qubit Control (EQC) technology, which uses standard semiconductor processes to control the capture of ion qubits, eliminating the need for a laser system. IonQ used the same technology to set a world record for dual quantum bit gate accuracy of 99.99% in October 2025.
According to the developers, the Superion platform can be expanded from a base 256 “Millions of qubits”. Development of the IonQ Superion 10K based on CMOS technology is currently in full swing and SkyWater has put the technology into mass production. The 10K is the first generation of hardware designed to work with IonQ’s Walking Cat architecture. The company expects that the shift from laser-based to semiconductor-based control will ultimately reduce the cost of each qubit by more than 300 times.
“Superion marks the most important turning point in the history of the quantum computing industry. It accelerates our industry’s transition from single laboratory machines to mass-produced quantum computers with attractive economics and modest power consumption.“Said Chris Balance, President of IonQ Quantum Computing.—— CMOS technology integration is expected to reach full fault tolerance in IonQ lab environments by 2027, with commercial production expected to begin in 2028. “
Designed for installation in modern data centers, the system takes up standard space in a server rack and requires no separate assembly. Superion consumes less power than a GPU rack and has a cooling system integrated with typical data center thermal management systems.
The Superion 256 is available to order now, with customer deliveries expected in 2027. IonQ will pre-order its first Superion 256 system in the first quarter of 2026. Production-grade systems will also be run and delivered on the IonQ cloud. The company plans to demonstrate the IonQ Superion 256’s industrial design at its Investor Day today at the New York Stock Exchange.
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