Advancing Quantum Computing in Finance: Key Takeaways from the TechQuartier Roundtable
Written
Mar 7, 2025
Author
Alise Munson
On 20 February, industry leaders, financial experts, and technology innovators gathered at TechQuartier for an exclusive Quantum Roundtable to explore the transformative potential of quantum computing in the financial sector.
The event brought together representative organizations such as the European Central Bank (ECB), Deutsche Bundesbank, WI Bank, Goethe Universität, DZ Bank, VR Payment, SWIFT, DEKA, NVIDIA, DE-CIX, Rosenberger, Fraunhofer Institute, Deutsche Börse, ITZ BUND and JoS QUANTUM to discuss how quantum technology can drive innovation, improve efficiency, and establish Germany as a leader in financial technology.
The discussion was led by JoS QUANTUM, a Frankfurt-based startup pioneering quantum-powered solutions for finance. The insights set the stage for a conversation on how the financial sector can collaborate with quantum startups, researchers, and policymakers to integrate this groundbreaking technology into real-world applications.
“Quantum computing is a key technology for the financial industry. That is why an exchange on this topic is of central importance for Frankfurt as a Financial Center. A big thanks to TechQuartier for the forward-looking inspiration that we took away from the Round Table and we are looking forward to the next steps,” said Dr. Michael Reckhard, Executive Board Member Wirtschafts- und Infrastrukturbank Hessen (WIBank).
Key Takeaways from the Roundtable
1. Strategic Importance of Quantum Computing – Quantum technology has the potential to revolutionize financial services by enabling faster risk assessments, more efficient trading strategies, and advanced cryptographic security.
2. Challenges and Opportunities – While Germany has strong entrepreneurs and quantum initiatives in various regions, the financial center in Frankfurt lacks a platform to create synergies for breakthrough technologies like quantum computing in the financial industry. The roundtable highlighted the need for an emerging financial technology Hub for quantum computing to connect the various quantum hubs in Germany with the economic center to access high-performance computing resources for startups and financial institutions.
3. Next Steps for Collaboration – The participants emphasized the importance of working together across industries, research institutions, and government bodies to create a robust ecosystem for quantum innovation. These steps include:
Positioning Frankfurt as a pioneer in using quantum technologies in the financial sector.
Pooling the necessary resources and expertise for the financial center in Frankfurt.
Creating a think tank for security technology and post-quantum encryption.
Building strong networks with existing national hubs (hqic, Ein Quantum, Quantum Valley etc.) to create a national quantum ecosystem for the financial industry.
Simplify commissions, partnerships and joint funding projects.
Easy access to computing resources (HPC, GPU and quantum computing) building a testbed and marketplace for DeepTechs and FinTechs with use cases, contacts and data.
The ideas and recommendations from the roundtable will be further evaluated, with plans for an expanded event to deepen the conversation and drive concrete action.
Why Quantum Matters for the Financial Sector
Quantum computing is not just theoretical—it is poised to reshape finance by offering capabilities that classical computing cannot match. Some key applications include:
Risk analysis and decision-making – Quantum algorithms can help with decision-making by evaluating risks more efficiently and provide unprecedented insights into global correlations.
Quantum Key Distribution - Ultimate secure ecryption methods by quantum mechanics to safeguard digital transactions against emerging cyber threats.
Quantum communication - The future quantum internet to connect quantum computers for distributed quantum computing and exchange quantum data.
Germany has the potential to be a leader in quantum finance. The 2025 Financial Center Cabinet Findings highlight the need for local competence centers in quantum, AI, and blockchain to ensure long-term competitiveness in financial services.
From the report: “A dynamic innovation environment offers enormous opportunities to future-proof the financial center and secure sustainable growth.”
By supporting startups like JoS QUANTUM, fostering collaboration across industries, and simplifying access to quantum computing resources, Europe can position itself at the forefront of the quantum revolution.
Building the Future Together
The momentum behind quantum computing is growing, and success will depend on strong partnerships between startups, financial institutions, researchers, and policymakers. The Frankfurt financial sector, with its leading banks, fintech innovators, and academic institutions, is well-positioned to play a central role in advancing quantum applications in finance.
By working together, we can turn today’s discussions into tomorrow’s breakthroughs
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What is quantum computing?
Quantum computing is a new type of computing that uses the principles of quantum mechanics—the rules that govern how very tiny particles (like atoms and electrons) behave.
A normal classical computer like we use in our daily life operates on classical bits. They can only be in one state at a time: 0 or 1, depending on the voltage. Many of these operate together, forming our current CPUs. Operations can also be parallelized using GPUs by breaking them down into independent sub-problems and solving them on each core.
Unlike classical bits that store either a 0 or a 1, qubits can exist in a superposition, representing a combination of both 0 and 1 simultaneously. This allows the computational power of qubits to scale exponentially. Two qubits can handle four values, three can handle eight, and so on... Although a qubit ultimately produces a single bit of output, the unique way they manipulate data in superposition enables quantum algorithms to achieve significant speedups for specific problems compared to classical approaches.
Where to Learn More About Quantum Computing in Europe
For those looking to explore quantum computing further, here are some key resources:
● European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC)
