Switzerland beats UK to claim quantum computing breakthrough Terra Quantum's discovery could lead to global secure networks for banks and governments 3 May 2021 • 10:00am A Swiss quantum computing start-up has claimed a major breakthrough in encryption technology, beating British technologists to develop a system that can send theoretically unhackable messages around the world. Terra Quantum, a Swiss business developing ways to keep sensitive information safe from the ability of quantum computers to break traditional encryption, has found a new method of securely sending data on fibre optic cables for up to 40,000km (24,850 miles). The company’s new secure transmission method works using quantum key distribution, which is a way of sending data using quantum mechanics that many physicists say makes it impossible for hackers to intercept the data without alerting either side.