Policy
Disclosed US defence quantum money roughly doubled to tripled in 2026, all announced
Quantum Zeitgeist's tally of priced defence awards for quantum computing puts the disclosed total at $80 million in 2023, $38 million in 2024 and $67 million in 2025, against $157 million or $188 million in 2026 to 11 October. Almost all of the 2026 figure comes from two DARPA agreements: PsiQuantum's $125 million, which may or may not include its earlier $32 million, and Diraq's announced first tranche of $51 million. Obligated money on the federal register fell from $35 million in 2025 to $12 million so far in 2026. Six firms are in the final stage of DARPA's Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, each able to win up to $300 million, but those figures are ceilings and were excluded from the sums.
Why it mattersHeadline caps and deals worth billions overstate the money actually promised to named firms. The outlet notes that part of the 2026 rise may reflect more price disclosure rather than more money, and it could not check DARPA's budget documents to separate the two.