Kookmin University’s Cyber Electronic Warfare Research Institute (which signed a technology exchange agreement with ICTK) has been selected for the Ministry of Education’s Glocal Lab consortium program.“This achievement highlights that the defense security cooperation framework, established through agreements with ICTK and other related companies, received high recognition.”ICTK (KOSDAQ: 456010, CEO Jungwon Lee), a next-generation security fabless company, signed a technology exchange agreement with Kookmin University’s Cyber Electronic Warfare Research Institute to strengthen security technologies in the defense and public sectors. The institute has continuously built a defense security cooperation framework through agreements with ICTK and multiple related organizations since its establishment, and this framework served as a foundation that was highly valued in this selection.The Glocal Lab program, initiated by the Ministry of Education, aims to foster university-affiliated research institutes as regional research hubs to:generate and disseminate innovative research outcomes,nurture future academic talent, andcultivate open research ecosystems.As the lead university, Kookmin University, together with Sejong University and Kangwon National University, will receive annual government funding of 2.4 billion KRW for the next nine years, totaling 21.6 billion KRW. > Go to Kor Content

ICTK 25-09-03

BTQ and ICTK Sign USD 15M Quantum-Secure Chip Development and Joint Investment Agreement to Advance Global Quantum-Safe HardwareComplements Korea’s Quantum Defense Strategy and fast-tracks commercialization of a next-generation quantum-secure secure-element chip (QCIM) for Defense, Critical Infrastructure, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, Payments, Mobile Authentication, AI and Digital Assets. Caption: (From left) Justin J. Lee, CEO of ICTK, Choi, Young-seok, CSO of BTQ TechnologyDeal and scope: BTQ signed a USD 15 million development and joint investment agreement with ICTK (KOSDAQ: 456010) to co-develop Quantum Compute in Memory (QCIM), a quantum-secure element chip. Two agreements cover joint design through certification and BTQ’s equity investment, with ICTK providing in-kind cost sharing and preferential manufacturing capacity.Product and performance: QCIM will integrate BTQ’s CASH cryptographic acceleration and post-quantum cryptography (PQC) at the silicon layer to enable crypto-agile upgrades without changing customer workflows. Early targets include up to 5× Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) throughput versus leading secure hardware, ~1 million digital signatures per second, and <1 microjoule per operation— defense and critical Infrastructure, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, payments, mobile authentication, AI, and wallets for digital assets.Validation and path to scale: As Korea’s leading secure-element vendor, ICTK’s commitment aligns its next-generation roadmap with QCIM and provides third-party validation, resourcing, and capacity for scale. The partners will pursue mass production, testing, and standards engagement (e.g., ITU and ISO) to achieve rapid certification and deployment across telecom and financial networks. Recent cooperation between the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) to apply quantum technologies to weapon systems and secure communications highlights growing defense demand for quantum-secure chips. The initiative also complements Korea’s recently announced Quantum Defense Strategy, which prioritizes rapid deployment of quantum-secure technologies across critical infrastructure, defense and financial systems. Commercialisation and Sales: The companies will move directly into global commercialization of QCIM, leveraging ICTK’s industry network and established sales channels. Early engagements are underway with key customers evaluating PQC-enabled secure chips for integration into upcoming products and infrastructure. Vancouver, British Columbia, October 27, 2025 – BTQ Technologies Corp. (“BTQ” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: BTQ) (CBOE CA: BTQ) (FSE: NG3), a global quantum technology company focused on securing mission-critical networks, is pleased to announce it has signed a USD 15 million strategic investment and development agreement with ICTK Co., Ltd. (“ICTK”) (KOSDAQ: 456010), Korea’s leading secure element (“SE”) chip manufacturer. This partnership aims to address the growing cybersecurity threats brought on by the advent of quantum computing, with a particular focus on safeguarding the digital asset and stablecoin markets. It also complements Korea’s broader efforts to accelerate the deployment of quantum-safe technologies across defense, finance, and communications, reinforcing both commercialization speed and strategic self-reliance. Through the co-development of a quantum-secure secure element chip, known as Quantum Compute in Memory (“QCIM”), BTQ and ICTK will combine BTQ’s post-quantum cryptography (“PQC”) technology and intellectual property with ICTK’s proven SE design and manufacturing capabilities to deliver a commercially deployable, quantum-resistant hardware platform for next-generation financial security.Under the collaboration, the companies have entered into two key agreements:Development Agreement: Joint design, validation, tape-outs, certification, and productization of the QCIM chip.Investment Agreement: BTQ’s direct equity investment into ICTK, coupled with ICTK’s in-kind contribution through cost-sharing and preferential deployment of manufacturing capacity, aligning both companies’ commercial interests and accelerating co-development and go-to-market execution.Commercialisation and Sales: The partnership will leverage ICTK’s established customer base across Korea’s telecommunications and financial sectors to enable early adoption of PQC-enabled secure chips. The companies also plan to expand joint commercialisation into international markets where demand for quantum-safe semiconductors is rapidly growing across defense, IoT, AI, and financial services. As a KOSDAQ-listed secure-element leader, ICTK’s commitment provides strong third-party validation of QCIM’s commercial potential. ICTK is aligning its next-generation secure-element roadmap with QCIM, committing significant in-kind resources and preferential manufacturing capacity to bring the platform to market at scale.The QCIM chip is being designed for high-assurance use cases, including cold and hardware wallets for digital assets, mobile authentication and fintech security, Internet of Things (IoT) endpoints, payment gateways and defense systems. By embedding PQC at the silicon layer, QCIM aims to deliver end-to-end quantum-secure identity, signing, attestation, and secure storage for next-generation financial and commercial networks. This joint development represents a practical and immediate response to the hacking risks that are expected to surge with the emergence of quantum computing, providing the digital asset and stablecoin industries with a tangible path to future-proof their infrastructures. It also supports national goals to secure defense-grade communications and infrastructure under Korea’s strategic technology roadmap. QCIM will incorporate BTQ’s CASH cryptographic acceleration as its engine for both classical and post-quantum primitives, providing partners with a practical path to quantum-safe upgrades on the same silicon while maintaining existing customer workflows unchanged. Recent testing shows up to five times faster AES throughput compared to leading secure hardware, achieving around one million digital signatures per second for real-time authentication, with energy consumption under one microjoule per cryptographic operation, and a compact footprint suitable for digital asset wallets, mobile authentication, Internet of Things devices, payments and defense systems.“This agreement puts quantum-safe security at the center of the global silicon ecosystem,” said Olivier Roussy Newton, CEO of BTQ. “By combining BTQ’s QCIM platform, powered by our CASH acceleration, with ICTK’s secure-element expertise, we give hardware makers a clear path to embed post-quantum protection at scale. Just as important, ICTK’s decision as a KOSDAQ-listed manufacturer to anchor its next-generation platform on QCIM and commit material resources is powerful external validation. The result is silicon that meets performance, energy, and certification requirements, remains upgradeable as standards advance, and drops into defense, critical infrastructure, IoT devices, payments, mobile authentication, AI, and digital assets without changing how people use them.”Jungwon Lee, CEO of ICTK said: “ICTK has a long track record of secure element innovation across telecommunications and financial services. By teaming with BTQ, we will integrate post-quantum security natively into our next-gen SE platform, enabling customers to adopt quantum-safe cryptography with the performance, certification, and supply-chain scale they expect from ICTK.”ICTK is recognized as Korea’s No. 1 secure element chip company, with extensive partnerships across telecommunications and financial sectors, including strong ties with leading mobile network operators such as LG U+. The partnership underscores BTQ’s expansion in Korea’s quantum security market and aligns with BTQ’s broader strategy to commercialize its Quantum-secure Infrastructure Stack across regulated finance and high-assurance communications.In addition to co-development, BTQ and ICTK are exploring collaboration in mass production, test, and global standardization, including engagement with international standards bodies such as ITU and ISO – with both parties contributing resources and capital in complementary forms. The companies intend to pursue relevant security and payments certifications to support rapid customer integration.About ICTK Co., Ltd.ICTK is a South Korea-based semiconductor security company specializing in hardware-based authentication and cryptographic solutions. The company is known for its implementation of Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) technology and integration of post-quantum cryptographic standards into secure chip designs. ICTK's solutions are deployed across sectors including finance, digital identity, mobility, and IoT, enabling secure and scalable infrastructure for a digitally connected future. For more information, please visit http://en.ictk.com/ About BTQBTQ Technologies Corp. (Nasdaq: BTQ | Cboe CA: BTQ | FSE: NG3 ) is a vertically integrated quantum company accelerating the transition from classical networks to the quantum internet. Backed by a broad patent portfolio, BTQ pioneered the industry’s first commercially significant quantum advantage and now delivers a full-stack, neutral-atom quantum computing platform with end-to-end hardware, middleware, and post-quantum security solutions for finance, telecommunications, logistics, life sciences, and defense.

ICTK 25-10-29

ICTK Wins ‘Industry Pioneer Award’ at EBISION 2025 Hosted by IFIP- Honored as the inaugural recipient of the newly established ‘Industry Pioneer Award’ at the 2025 IFIP WG 8.4 International Symposium- Recognized for next-generation security innovation through the world’s first VIA PUF and Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) technologies(Photo: Prof. Fang-Yie Leu, Tunghai University, Taiwan (left), Bongho Kang, CMO of ICTK (right))Seoul, South Korea – December 23, 2025 — Quantum security fabless company ICTK (KOSDAQ: 456010, CEO Jeongwon Lee) announced that it has received the “Industry Pioneer Award” at the EBISION 2025 Awards, hosted by the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP), one of the world’s most prestigious international organizations in the field of information technology.The award ceremony was held as part of “The 2025 IFIP WG 8.4 International Symposium on E-Business Information Systems Evolution (EBISION 2025)”, organized by IFIP Working Group 8.4 (Information Systems in Developing Countries).Founded in 1960 under the auspices of UNESCO, IFIP is the leading global federation of national associations for information processing. It brings together top academic and industry experts across fields such as information systems, software engineering, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence to promote international research collaboration and standardization.The “Industry Pioneer Award”, newly established in 2025, honors companies driving industrial innovation in next-generation ICT domains including AI, quantum computing, and 6G. ICTK was named the inaugural recipient of this award following a rigorous evaluation by a committee of international experts from academia and industry.The judging panel cited ICTK’s “groundbreaking contribution to enhancing the security reliability of e-business and digital services through its VIA PUF and PQC-integrated quantum security chip technologies.”ICTK pioneered VIA PUF™ (Physically Unclonable Function) technology, which generates unique, unclonable hardware IDs by utilizing microscopic variations in semiconductor manufacturing processes. The company was the first in the world to mass-produce PUF-based chips, setting a new standard in hardware security. In early 2025, ICTK successfully integrated Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) into its security chips, establishing itself as a leader in quantum-secure hardware innovation.The award also reflects ICTK’s continuous R&D achievements and internationally verified reliability. In 2025, ICTK published its research paper on qTrustNet, a next-generation security protocol combining PQC algorithms and PUF technology, in the IEEE Access (Vol.13, 2025) journal indexed in SCIE. The company also earned Common Criteria (CC) EAL6 Site Certification from a Dutch evaluation authority, demonstrating its world-class secure manufacturing capabilities.In addition, ICTK was named a Top 30 Finalist in the “WIPO Global Awards 2025” by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and won a Gold Medal at the iENA 2024 International Trade Fair for Ideas, Inventions, and New Products, further proving its global recognition for technological excellence.“We are deeply honored to be recognized by IFIP, one of the most respected organizations in the global IT community, for our innovation and contribution to the quantum security industry,” said Staff of ICTK. “This award will further inspire us to expand collaborations with global big tech and quantum security partners as we continue to lead the establishment of international standards in the post-quantum security era.”ICTK is currently accelerating its global expansion through strategic alliances with BTQ Technologies and Crypto4A, as well as completing security verifications with Top 5 global IT companies. The company is also advancing commercialization of its PQC-PUF integrated quantum security semiconductor (QCIM), positioning itself as a front-runner in the global quantum-safe hardware market.Go to the Article- Business Korea- 한글 기사 보러 가기

ICTK 25-12-23

ICTK Leads Security Solutions Market with Innovative Technology- ICTK poised for growth as telecom investments and policies shift.- Hana Securities backs ICTK with “Buy” rating, targets 28,000 won.ICTK logo(Photo Courtesy of ICTK)ICTK, a security semiconductor company, is projected to enter a revenue growth phase starting this year. Despite being undervalued relative to its technological prowess, changes in policy and expanded investment in telecommunications infrastructure are rapidly transforming its business environment. In a recent report, Hana Securities maintained its “Buy” investment opinion on ICTK and presented a target price of 28,000 won.The report particularly defined 2026 as the “foundational year” when sales to telecommunication companies will begin in earnest, emphasizing the need to monitor changes in the company’s business from this year. The biggest driver of change is the shift in the regulatory environment.As the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee and the Personal Information Protection Commission have introduced legislation to strengthen anti-hacking measures, a system of punitive penalty surcharges has been fully implemented. This has significantly increased the financial burden on companies in the event of a cybersecurity incident, creating a structure where telecommunication companies and equipment manufacturers must proactively invest in security.Changes in spectrum reallocation requirements are also a positive factor for ICTK. Due to the new reallocation conditions, telecommunication companies must expand their investments in telecom equipment starting this year, which is highly likely to lead to an increase in demand for security solutions. The securities industry forecasts that the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure investment will not just involve simple equipment replacement but will proceed in a direction that enhances the overall security level of the network.ICTK’s strength lies in the fact that there are few technological alternatives to meet this demand, thanks to its security semiconductors based on VIA PUF (Physically Unclonable Function) technology. In a situation where few companies can meet the advanced security requirements of telecommunication firms (such as 5G network slicing and base station-to-core network encryption), ICTK is evaluated as an “irreplaceable provider”. As a result, business partnership proposals from telecom equipment manufacturers are increasing, and it is expected that IP licensing fees and NRE (Non-Recurring Engineering) revenue will gradually grow. NRE revenue, which is in the nature of development service fees, is positive for initial cash flow.ICTK’s negotiating power is particularly noteworthy. Because it is in a position to exclusively supply the security solution, it is assessed as highly likely that ICTK will secure the upper hand in partnerships with equipment manufacturers. There are also projections that a model where ICTK participates from the initial stages of equipment development or shares profits as a joint business partner could become a reality, going beyond simple technology provision.Until now, ICTK has been burdened by a lack of earnings visibility despite its outstanding technology. However, as policy risks turn into opportunities and the investment cycle of telecommunication companies begins in earnest, the market’s perspective is gradually changing. Although risk factors such as policy changes and potential delays in telecom investments persist, it is observed that if significant revenue is generated starting this year, the credibility of its growth story will be further enhanced.A securities industry official stated, “ICTK is at a juncture where two trends—strengthened security regulations and investment in telecommunications infrastructure—are acting simultaneously,” adding, “If its performance becomes visible starting this year, there is a high probability that it will break away from its current phase of undervaluation.”Go to the Article - Business Korea - VentureeSquare

ICTK 26-01-30

ICTK Showcases Quantum Security Technology at MWC 2026- The Exhibition Marks ICTK’s Global Debut of Its PQC PUF Security Chip Portfolio, Highlighting Its Importance in Future ICT InfrastructuresICTK announced that it will participate in “Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026,” the world’s largest mobile communications exhibition, held in Barcelona, Spain, for four days from March 2 to 5.“Mobile World Congress (MWC)” is the world’s largest ICT and mobile industry exhibition hosted by the GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications Association), where global telecommunications carriers, semiconductor, security, artificial intelligence (AI), and device companies gather together to share next-generation technologies and industry trends. This year, under the theme “Future First: Connectivity, Security and Intelligence,” key future ICT technologies such as quantum security, AI security, and 6G communications are expected to be spotlighted.At this exhibition, ICTK will participate as a cooperative partner within the LG Uplus booth, showcasing a Quantum HRoT (Hardware Root of Trust)-based security architecture that combines Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and PUF (Physically Unclonable Function) technology. Through this, the company plans to introduce quantum security response strategies and application cases utilizing PQC Migration and PUF-combined security structures.As PQC transition accelerates as a core security element of global ICT infrastructure, ICTK emphasizes its technical capability to transition algorithms applied to existing encrypted databases and communication systems to PQC. In particular, given that most cryptographic algorithms including PQC inherently contain the threat of cryptographic key exposure, the company plans to spotlight the necessity of PUF-combined structures to fundamentally address this issue.Notably, this MWC holds significant meaning as it marks the starting point where ICTK introduces its PQC PUF security chip portfolio and MTB for the first time on the global stage. At the exhibition, ICTK plans to introduce the security technology of PQC PUF security chips (USIM and eSIM) to global telecommunications carriers, device manufacturers, and security partners, while also showcasing “MTB” (scheduled for release in 2026), a battery authentication security chip capable of monitoring battery life, thereby officially initiating product and technology communication.An ICTK representative stated, “PQC is an essential cryptographic technology for the quantum era, but trust cannot be completed with algorithms alone,” adding, “True Quantum-Safe Security is only realized when PUF-based Hardware Root of Trust (HRoT) and PQC algorithms are combined.”Through this MWC participation, ICTK will showcase its VIA PUF™ and post-quantum cryptography-based chip and platform technologies to the global market, officially marking the entry of quantum security technology into the mobile sector. Go to the Article  - Business Korea- 한글 기사 보러 가기 

ICTK 26-02-19