Quantum Blockchain Technologies (QBT) has received formal approval from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a patent application covering its ASIC UltraBoost technology, a development the company said supports the expansion of its intellectual property portfolio in Bitcoin mining hardware.

The application, titled Message Scheduling for Cryptographic Hashing, is focused on improving Bitcoin mining efficiency by removing redundant computations from the SHA-256 message scheduling process used in application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) mining hardware. SHA-256 is the cryptographic hashing algorithm used in Bitcoin’s proof-of-work mining process, and ASIC machines are purpose-built chips designed to perform that work at high speed and scale. QBT said the technology is intended to streamline cryptographic hashing operations and potentially enhance the performance of specialized mining chips.

QBT stressed that the patent has not yet been formally granted, despite the application’s approval. The company said remaining administrative steps, including the payment of issue and publication fees, must be completed before the patent can be officially issued. It said it expects the process to be finalized in the near future.

The approved application covers ASIC UltraBoost technology, which is designed to reduce unnecessary SHA-256 computations and improve the efficiency of Bitcoin mining hardware. QBT said the approval also strengthens its position as it develops proprietary technologies for cryptographic hashing hardware.

Chief Executive and Executive Chairman Francesco Gardin said the development was consistent with the company’s strategy of building proprietary technologies aimed at improving the efficiency of hardware used for cryptographic hashing.

Commercialization and Licensing Plans

QBT said the technology could attract interest from established ASIC manufacturers looking to improve the performance and energy efficiency of next-generation Bitcoin mining equipment. The company plans to assess licensing arrangements and other commercialization opportunities after the patent is formally granted.

To support that process, QBT is seeking advisers with semiconductor industry expertise to help design a strategy for monetizing the technology. The company cautioned, however, that any commercial discussions remain at an early stage. It said there is no certainty over the timing, structure, or outcome of possible licensing agreements, and added that there is no assurance the patent will generate material revenue in the short term.

Gardin said that, after payment of the required fees, the patent process is expected to conclude within about four to six weeks. He also said the company would remain cautious until the USPTO formally issues the patent.

Potential Efficiency Gains for Mining Hardware

QBT said its technology targets one of the most difficult areas of Bitcoin mining hardware: the hardware implementation of the SHA-256 algorithm. Gardin said major advances in this field have historically been limited, making efficiency gains especially relevant for ASIC manufacturers.

According to QBT’s internal estimates, ASIC UltraBoost could reduce the number of logic gates required in ASIC chips by between 5% and 8%. The company also estimates that energy consumption could fall by approximately 2% to 5%. Gardin said that although the individual percentage improvements may appear relatively small, they could produce substantial cumulative savings for large Bitcoin mining operations running thousands of specialized chips.

In Bitcoin mining, hardware efficiency is a key design consideration because operators compete using specialized equipment that consumes significant power while performing repeated hash calculations. Even incremental reductions in chip complexity or energy use can therefore be relevant to ASIC manufacturers and large-scale miners when applied across many devices.

QBT said these estimated reductions in logic gate requirements and energy use could offer meaningful efficiency improvements for industrial-scale Bitcoin miners if the technology is adopted in mining hardware.

The company also disclosed that it is already working with an ASIC manufacturer as it moves forward with commercialization plans. At the same time, QBT is seeking additional semiconductor specialists to help structure licensing and royalty agreements for the patented technology.

QBT said it is developing a licensing strategy while collaborating with an ASIC manufacturer, positioning the technology for possible use by major chipmakers once the U.S. patent is formally issued.

Gardin added that the market for the technology is clearly defined because the likely customers are primarily ASIC chip manufacturers. He said this gives the company an established route toward commercial deployment if licensing discussions advance successfully.