IonQ Global Export Compliance

As a global pioneer in quantum technologies, IonQ is committed to advancing innovation responsibly and ensuring that our quantum hardware and cloud services reach customers in full compliance with international trade regulations. Export controls are a vital part of this commitment—serving not only to uphold legal obligations, but also to safeguard the long-term accessibility and trustworthiness of emerging quantum solutions across borders.

We are dedicated to meeting the evolving needs of governments and partners worldwide, and we recognize that export compliance plays a critical role in enabling timely and secure access to our offerings. That’s why our legal, compliance, and technical teams work in concert to navigate complex regulatory frameworks—ensuring high-quality service and secure delivery for our customers, and helping to ensure they receive the solutions they need, when they need them. While the global regulatory landscape reflects the strategic significance of quantum innovation, we view these frameworks not as constraints, but as guideposts for building a resilient, secure, and ethical quantum ecosystem—one that balances global collaboration with responsible innovation. Our customers can remain confident that, as they explore the future with us, their access to cutting-edge quantum capabilities will be both seamless and safeguarded.

Export laws govern the movement of specific hardware, software, technology, and content across international borders. As with all global companies, IonQ is subject to export regulations in multiple jurisdictions, including the United States Export Administration Regulations (EAR). These laws are designed to promote security, transparency, and responsible innovation by regulating how advanced technologies are shared and accessed worldwide. This webpage provides information about export controls applicable to IonQ quantum hardware and cloud platform. It is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.

How do export controls apply to IonQ quantum computers?

IonQ’s Forte Enterprise and Tempo systems are both classified under the U.S. Export Administration Regulations as EAR99.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Administration, “EAR99 items can generally be exported without a license”.

This classification reflects the current regulatory treatment of our systems and allows for broad international access, while still maintaining alignment with U.S. national security and trade objectives. We continue to monitor export control developments closely to ensure our compliance posture evolves alongside the technology and regulatory landscape.

How do export controls apply to IonQ Quantum Cloud?

The applicability of export laws to cloud services can vary by jurisdiction, but in general, the regulatory landscape provides helpful clarity for cloud-based quantum computing. Three core principles guide how export controls apply in this context:

1. The provision of cloud services (including SaaS and IaaS) is not an export-controlled activity.  Use of cloud hosted software is not an export-controlled activity as long as the software is not downloaded.
   
   • See U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security Advisory Opinions from January 13, 2009,  January 11, 2011 and November 13, 2014.
2. The cross-border transmission of export-controlled content or software, using end-to-end encryption, is not an export-controlled activity until the export-controlled content is accessed in an unencrypted format by the end user.  This is true regardless of the location of the servers used to transit the information so long as the content is not intentionally stored in a restricted country listed in Country Group D:5.
   
   • See EAR Sec. 738.14 “Activities that are not exports, re-exports or transfers”.
3. Cloud users are responsible for any export compliance requirements that would arise when storing controlled content and/or transmitting it across international borders. For instance, if a cloud user transmits controlled content, without encryption, from country A to country B – and country A requires a license for sending it to country B – the cloud user would need to obtain the license for sending their controlled content to country B.
   
   • See U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security Advisory Opinion from November 13, 2014.

We remain committed to making our quantum cloud platform accessible, secure, and compliant, and we encourage our customers to reach out with questions as they explore new use cases and geographies.