On July 2, during the 2026 Quantum Computing Technology and Industry Ecosystem Conference, Shanghai, China released its first batch of quantum application scenarios, covering directions such as quantum-intelligence integration, meteorology, and finance. Among them, the financial security scenario focuses on the collaborative verification of quantum algorithms, software, hardware, and network communications, serving as a scenario-based test before quantum technology enters real business environments in the industry.
Financial security imposes high requirements on communication links, extending beyond "whether data can be encrypted" to include how keys are generated, distributed, updated, and kept consistent across multiple nodes, as well as whether business systems can stably invoke security capabilities under high concurrency. When quantum technology enters this scenario, the core verification points will focus on the synergy among quantum key distribution, post-quantum cryptography, hardware security modules, key management platforms, and financial business systems. Banking business links typically connect data centers, branch offices, cloud platforms, disaster recovery centers, and external interfaces; any incompatibility in modifications could affect the continuous operation of systems such as transactions, clearing, accounts, risk control, and customer services.
The technical highlight of this scenario release lies in "systematic verification." Quantum financial security is not simply about connecting a quantum device to the network to complete an upgrade; rather, it requires testing algorithms, communications, hardware, software, and operations management within the same environment. A relevant official from SPD Bank noted that quantum products in financial security scenarios exhibit systematic and comprehensive characteristics, posing significant technical challenges. In other words, what truly needs verification is whether quantum security capabilities can be embedded into existing financial networks, rather than remaining at the level of single-point device demonstrations.
At the communication level, quantum key distribution focuses more on the security of the key generation and transmission process, while post-quantum cryptography addresses potential threats that future quantum computing may pose to traditional cryptographic systems. If these two types of technologies enter financial networks, they need to work in coordination with existing dedicated lines, metropolitan area networks, data center switching equipment, identity authentication systems, encryption machines, log audit platforms, and security operations management systems. Financial institutions will not completely rebuild their networks due to new technologies; therefore, the key to technical verification is to overlay quantum security capabilities onto real communication links without disrupting the stability of existing business operations.
Such verification also faces engineering details. For example, whether the key distribution rate can meet peak business demands, whether latency across data center links is controllable, whether smooth switching is possible after a quantum security device failure, how traditional cryptographic systems and quantum security systems can operate in parallel, and whether increased security levels will lead to excessively high operational complexity. If these issues cannot be clearly tested in scenario experiments, it will be difficult for quantum financial security to move from demonstration projects to replicable deployments.
Shanghai is simultaneously supplementing the engineering conditions for quantum technology. Zhangjiang Quantum Bay has customized professional facilities for quantum enterprises, with buildings meeting the VC-C anti-microvibration level required for mainstream experiments, and capable of being reinforced to the VC-E level based on project needs; Tiemma Quantum Laboratory Company will also build an open and shared quantum industry public pilot platform. Quantum equipment has high requirements for environmental stability, vibration control, testing platforms, and long-term debugging conditions. The role of the pilot platform is to repeatedly verify laboratory prototypes, key components, and application systems in environments closer to industrialization.
Going forward, this quantum financial security scenario should not only focus on "what has been released," but also on whether the verification results can be quantified. Key indicators include key generation rate, link stability, error control, cross-node deployment capability, system switching time, business system compatibility, and operational costs. Only if these indicators pass testing in real financial communication environments will quantum security technology have the foundation to enter broader industry networks.