Quantum Technologies Key Strategies and Opportunities for Financial Services Leaders 2025

Early case studies (non-exhaustive)Quantum security and quantum communications Why it’s important Strategic imperative and essential resilience The eventual arrival of CRQCs will render classical encryption vulnerable – potentially including PQC if quantum computing proves powerful enough to compromise hard problems.28 This means that quantum- native technologies, like QKD and QRNG, may ultimately be the only provably secure alternatives. Financial institutions must act now to build layered, adaptable security frameworks that can evolve with the quantum threat. This is essential for firm viability as well as financial system resilience. Practical roadmap PQC is ready for immediate adoption and offers the broadest path to near-term security upgrades. At the same time, QRNG is already pilotable and enhances entropy quality in both classical and quantum-resistant systems. QKD, though still maturing, is foundational for future infrastructure like the quantum internet and select high-value links. Piloting and co- developing QKD/QRNG with telecommunication providers now will position firms to lead as these capabilities reach production scale.29Quantum security and quantum communications are foundational to ensuring the long-term protection of sensitive financial data, systems and infrastructure in the quantum era. Financial services leaders will need to integrate both quantum-resistant and quantum-native technologies to mitigate the quantum threat. CASE STUDY 5 Securing tokenized gold transactions using quantum technology HSBC is addressing the future risks posed by quantum computing, which could compromise traditional encryption methods, by deploying quantum-secure technologies. As quantum computers advance, they threaten the security of sensitive financial data, especially in areas like distributed ledger technology (DLT) and asset tokenization. To tackle this, HSBC integrated advanced quantum technologies into its Orion digital assets platform, which supports its gold tokenization initiative. The bank’s solution combines PQC and QRNG from Quantinuum, which are mature products that are ready for deployment. QRNGs provide highly secure randomness for cryptographic keys, making them more unpredictable and resistant to attacks. Additionally, PQC virtual private network (VPN) tunnels protect communication between nodes in the distributed ledger. This ensures that transaction data remains secure against potential quantum threats. Tested on Azure networks, the solution maintains efficiency with minimal impact on performance while upgrading security. This initiative has made HSBC’s gold tokenization platform quantum-secure, safeguarding transaction data and ensuring interoperability between blockchains. The approach is cost-effective, enhancing security without requiring major changes to existing systems. HSBC’s proactive adoption of quantum-secure technologies ensures compliance with cybersecurity standards and regulatory requirements while protecting sensitive financial data through privacy-by- design principles. By integrating quantum technologies, HSBC is not only mitigating risks but also improving efficiency and liquidity in tokenized asset markets.30 FIGURE 5 Quantum Technologies: Key Strategies and Opportunities for Financial Services Leaders 16