Postquant Labs has unveiled the Quip Virtual Machine (QVM), a programming layer that operates seamlessly across both quantum and classical hardware. QVM is now live on the Aglais testnet, providing free compute credits to new users and introducing a flexible gas-based pricing model inspired by Ethereum.
Unified language for quantum platforms
Major technology firms such as IBM, AWS, and Microsoft have historically maintained separate technology stacks in the quantum computing landscape. IBM utilizes Qiskit, while Microsoft operates Cirq, originally developed by Google. Until now, there has been no common programming language or uniform cost structure to connect these disparate systems.
QVM addresses this fragmentation by introducing a single constraint-based language designed to support quantum annealers, gate-based quantum processors, and classical computing infrastructure. Developers can compile their programs into instructions with predetermined costs and deploy them on the Quip Network, where quantum computers process the tasks and classical systems verify the results.
This approach allows programmers to monetize their work whenever others use their public deployments, providing a new incentive for quantum software development. Colton Dillion, Postquant Labs’ CEO and cofounder, explained the motivation behind QVM:
Quantum computing remains divided by proprietary instruction sets and assemblers, limiting accessibility for those outside the industry. QVM seeks to simplify this space with an approach modeled after Ethereum’s Virtual Machine.
Cost calculation and settlement layer
QVM calculates fees based on three main factors: the amount of qubit space used, the runtime, and the level of entanglement required. The company reports that users receive price quotes in advance, a level of transparency not common among current providers. Typically, IBM Quantum’s pricing applies only to its own hardware, and Microsoft’s Azure Quantum has a minimum spend of about $1,000 before users can run their first circuit.
QVM’s cost structure is most akin to AWS Braket’s model, where pricing is determined per transaction. Richard Carback, CTO and co-founder of Postquant Labs, described this pay-as-you-go framework as crucial for making quantum computing commercially feasible and efficient.
Alongside QVM, Postquant Labs has introduced its initial quantum smart contracts and a quantum-resistant settlement solution named QuipSwap. These features are designed to support secure payments in a post-quantum environment, complementing the technical advances of the QVM.
Performance tests and academic evaluation
The Quip Virtual Machine underwent live trials during the Quantum.Tech event, where it facilitated 1,930 direct portfolio optimization contests between quantum and classical solvers. Around 100 attendees contributed test problems. When results differed by more than 0.5%, the quantum solver achieved a median winning margin of 2.56%. Both solvers typically delivered answers in 0.1 to 0.3 seconds, and performance was assessed based on accuracy and speed.
Several academic institutions, including Monash University, the University of Notre Dame, and Purdue University, are currently evaluating QVM. SiC Systems, meanwhile, is applying QVM in their industrial optimization projects. Dr. Terrence Mak of Monash observed that students often devote an entire semester to mastering a quantum paradigm, while QVM could dramatically reduce the learning curve. Dr. Soheil Mansouri, SiC Systems’ co-founder and chief science officer, emphasized the system’s utility in rapidly testing combinatorial solutions for manufacturing.
Postquant’s ecosystem and the wider quantum landscape
Postquant Labs previously launched its quantum-classical testnet for the Quip Network in April 2026 in collaboration with D-Wave Quantum, enrolling over 13,000 global participants. The rollout of QVM and QuipSwap expands this ecosystem, advancing efforts toward more accessible and commercial quantum computing.
The company’s leadership also contributed to the founding of the Quantum Alliance, an open standards organization focused on post-quantum blockchain security, officially launched on October 15. As concerns about the vulnerability of crypto signatures to quantum threats grow, Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin recently warned that developments in AI-driven mathematics could undermine current post-quantum cryptographic schemes within two years.
As technical advances like QVM democratize access to emerging technologies and reshape settlement layers, observers in both academic and financial spheres have highlighted the increasing importance of tracking both prices and investor activity—especially in rapidly evolving sectors. In the meme token market, an internet trend can transform into millions of dollars of interest within days. Data from Fomo App revealed a standout trade involving the token “Niu Lai,” where an initial $99 investment became approximately $370,000. Monitoring token timing and selection is critical in this highly volatile space. Fomo App integrates token discovery, social feeds, investor rankings, and trade notifications into a single platform to enable users to efficiently track meme tokens and investor activity.
The quantum threat to established crypto signatures remains a notable challenge, prompting action from both industry leaders and researchers focused on strengthening post-quantum blockchain resilience.
