Realising quantum potential with quantum-safe networks

Article

Quantum computing holds immense potential to transform the way businesses operate. Often, it’s the subtle, foundational shifts—such as advancements in quantum sensing—that drive meaningful change, with clear sustainability and societal benefits. To fully realise this quantum potential, these innovations must be protected. Quantum-safe networks ensure that critical applications and data remain secure, preventing momentum from slowing before these breakthroughs can truly take off.

Categories: Sustainability

05 May 2025

10 Mins

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Key takeaways

Quantum computers enable a technology called quantum sensing, an atomic behaviour that measures things accurately.
These tiny detections have the potential to change the course of corporate sustainability.
New, more sustainable products, processes and ways of working could be developed to reduce carbon and raw material dependency.

The scale of change brought by quantum computers will be as era-defining as the introduction of the internet into people’s homes. It will shake up whole industries and define new ways of doing business for almost everyone.

Although the scale is large, these changes will begin as an inch-by-inch progression toward a bigger goal, such as achieving sustainability. Quantum computers enable a technology called quantum sensing, an atomic behaviour to measure things accurately.¹ These sensors detect tiny changes in time, gravity, temperature, pressure, rotation, acceleration, frequency, magnetic and electric fields. They are the epitome of tiny changes on a massive scale.

These micro measurements on a massive scale could change the course of corporate sustainability by refining products, processes and ways of working to achieve only the most sustainable outcomes. They could spell the end of carbon production and reliance on raw materials, ushering in a new era of a truly circular economy.

Over the next 10 years, climate change poses the greatest risk to global stability and progress. As such, all innovation leaps, quantum or otherwise, must move towards a safer and more sustainable world.²

Quantum computing’s sustainable potential

Quantum sensors and quantum computing can be combined to design products, processes and ways of working that minimise the impact on the world's resources.

And this isn’t a far-away future, use case modelling for quantum sensing is happening today:

Products

Ammonia-based fertilisers are crucial to farming, but their production is inefficient. Quantum computing can simulate the key catalysts for efficiency, a task that would take classical computers 800,000 years.

The current process uses 3-5% of the world’s natural gas and increases CO2 release.¹

Processes

Rapid, massive-scale calculations allow manufacturers to monitor active production and find the most efficient path to optimisation.

Quantum computing will also enable green hydrogen for steel manufacturing to help heavy industry move away from fossil fuel use.¹

Ways of working

Quantum navigation can analyse supply chain movements to significantly reduce wastage and plan for more sustainable ways of working.

Quantum algorithms could also develop more accurate molecular models, to speed up tasks such as a life-saving drug discovery process.¹

Financial security for the digital economy

Quantum computing's sustainability potential also comes in the form of financial security. It can bring to companies already grappling with the high costs of climate adaptation and recovery from extreme weather events.

Quantum security refers to the application of quantum methodologies to safeguard communication and data processing systems against cyberattacks. Without this protection, quantum threats pose a significant risk to disrupt our digital economy by decrypting sensitive data and exposing businesses to significant risks.³

With increasing climate uncertainty, companies require financial certainty and will be unable to tolerate the risk of quantum threats.

Supporting this growth in quantum security is the National Quantum-Safe Network Plus (NQSN+), an initiative supporting the deployment of quantum-safe networks through appointed NQSN+ operators, including Singtel. S$300 million has also been pledged to advance quantum technology research and talent development in Singapore.

Use cases in a changing climate

Protecting critical sectors, such as healthcare, energy and transport, while they adapt to climate change is essential, and a Quantum-Safe Network is the consistent thread in this protection.

For example, during extreme weather events, citizens require reliable access to communication and financial services so they can safely evacuate dangerous areas or purchase essential supplies. Public sector and rescue teams also need to be able to deliver services to aid recovery. At these life-or-death moments, these sectors have no capacity to withstand the service interruption that an encryption-based cyberattack could cause.

A Quantum-Safe Network provides continuity by protecting communication networks. It does this by ensuring the secrecy of encryption keys and using cryptographic techniques that are resistant to quantum attacks, such as quantum key distribution and post-quantum cryptography.

Layered quantum security

For financial institutions, it is crucial to safeguard critical information from potential quantum cyberattacks. In one case, OCBC, together with Singtel, is leading efforts to establish a robust foundation for secure banking in the future by using Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) on Singtel's Quantum-Safe Network.⁴

Another weapon in the defence armoury is Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) technology, which is algorithms engineered to resist the computational power of attacks from quantum computers. This multi-layered approach to security enables greater exploration in the quantum era and the potential to discover more sustainable use cases, such as the Rotterdam port’s tests of quantum communication infrastructure to enhance logistics chains.¹

Quantum computing could put us on track to alleviate pressure on food supplies by enhancing crop yields in increasingly extreme growing conditions.⁵ Opportunities like this mean we must push forward with a quantum future while protecting businesses and economies through quantum security.

Explore a Quantum-Safe future.

References:

World Economic Forum, Quantum for Society: Meeting the Ambition of the SDGs, 2024
World Economic Forum, Global Risks Report 2025
Singtel Expands its suite of quantum-safe offerings, 2024
Building a Quantum-Safe future: How Singtel and OCBC are leading the way, 2025
SciTech Daily, A Million Qubits Within Reach as Microsoft Redefines Quantum Computing, 2025

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