Italy flips the quantum switch — blockchain's clock just got louder ⏰

Italy inaugurated its first Quantum Supercomputer and industrial quantum annealer, Volta B1, on October 16 at the Digital Innovation Forum 2026 in Cernobbio, marking one of Europe's most advanced quantum infrastructure milestones to date. Developed under the technical and scientific supervision of Q-Alliance, Volta B1 positions Italy among a small group of nations operating dedicated quantum computing resources at industrial scale.

The launch was accompanied by a Digital Innovation Forum 2026 panel titled "Frontier Technologies: Quantum Computing, HPC for Quantum Computing, Supercomputers and Blockchain," where Davide Costa, Head of Innovation at DAC, joined representatives from academia, research, and technology institutions. Panelists reviewed advances in high-performance and quantum computing and the supporting infrastructure required to operationalize them.

Speaking on the sidelines of the inauguration, Costa framed the moment for distributed-ledger networks, which depend on cryptographic primitives to secure transactions and digital assets. "The inauguration of Italy's first Quantum Supercomputer and industrial quantum annealer marks a major milestone in quantum technology. While these advances unlock new possibilities, they also reinforce the need to prepare for future threats to the cryptographic systems securing blockchain networks. At DAC, we're addressing this challenge by embedding quantum resistance into blockchain infrastructure from the outset," Costa said.

DAC is building an EVM-compatible Layer-1 blockchain in which quantum resistance is a stated architectural priority, incorporating Proof of Quantum Work (PoQW) and quantum entropy, with predictable transaction costs for businesses. The DAC team attended the Digital Innovation Forum 2026 alongside other industry leaders and technology experts as Europe expands its quantum computing footprint.

DAC Blockchain, developed by DAC Labs, is described by the project as a quantum-resistant EVM-compatible Layer-1 blockchain using Proof of Quantum Work (PoQW) and quantum entropy to support smart contracts, decentralized applications, and digital asset transactions with a focus on long-term cryptographic resilience. Further information is available at the project's website.