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Trump Administration in Talks to Take Stakes in Quantum Computing Firms

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The Trump administration is in discussions with several U.S. quantum computing companies to acquire equity stakes in exchange for federal funding, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing people familiar with the talks. The proposed deals would represent another instance of direct government investment in strategically important technology sectors.

Companies involved in the discussions reportedly include IonQ, Rigetti Computing, D-Wave Quantum, Quantum Computing Inc., and Atom Computing. Each firm could receive at least $10 million in funding under the plan, with the government becoming a shareholder as part of the arrangement.

The move follows similar interventions, including a proposed 10% federal stake in Intel tied to grant funding, and the Pentagon’s equity position in MP Materials to support rare earth production. Deputy Commerce Secretary Paul Dabbar, formerly an executive in the quantum industry, is said to be leading the negotiations.

The Department of Commerce declined to confirm the talks, while several companies and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The initiative reflects Washington’s growing push to secure leadership in quantum technologies as rivals such as China ramp up investment in the field.

U.S. approves multi-billion-dollar Nvidia chip exports to UAE, Bloomberg reports

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The U.S. government has approved several billion dollars’ worth of Nvidia chip exports to the United Arab Emirates, according to Bloomberg News. The export licenses were issued by the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security as part of a bilateral artificial intelligence agreement reached in May.

The deal will enable the UAE to build large-scale data centers essential for developing and training advanced AI models, deepening technological cooperation between the two countries. In return, the UAE has committed to making a reciprocal investment in the U.S., the report said.

An official from the Commerce Department told Bloomberg the agency is “fully committed to the transformational U.S.–UAE AI partnership deal.” Neither Nvidia nor the White House commented directly on the report, and UAE representatives could not be reached.

The export agreement is expected to allow the Emirates to import up to 500,000 of Nvidia’s high-performance AI chips annually starting in 2025, under a framework that could extend through 2030, as Reuters reported earlier this year.

The approval aligns with President Donald Trump’s renewed Gulf outreach, which in May yielded $600 billion in commitments from Saudi Arabia, including chip deals with Nvidia, AMD, and Qualcomm. The move strengthens Washington’s push to build regional AI alliances amid intensifying global competition for computing power.

U.S. Considers Annual Chip Supply Approvals for Samsung and SK Hynix China Plants

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The United States is weighing a proposal to require Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix to seek annual approvals for shipping chipmaking equipment and supplies to their China-based factories, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The plan, presented by the U.S. Commerce Department to Korean officials last week, would replace the current validated end user (VEU) designations that granted the chipmakers indefinite export authorizations. Those designations are set to expire at the end of 2025.

Under the draft proposal, Samsung and SK Hynix would need yearly approval for specific quantities of restricted tools and materials, adding regulatory steps but ensuring their Chinese fabs can keep operating. The companies are among the largest foreign chipmakers with plants in China, supplying memory chips vital to global electronics.

Reactions in Seoul were mixed—officials expressed relief that a framework for continued operations remains, but concern over the added bureaucratic burden and potential supply chain uncertainties.

The move comes against the backdrop of intensifying U.S.-China semiconductor tensions. Since 2022, Washington has imposed sweeping export controls to curb Beijing’s chip and AI capabilities. The Biden administration had granted waivers to Samsung, SK Hynix, and TSMC to soften the blow to allied companies, but the Trump administration has pushed for tighter oversight.

The situation is further complicated by political strain: Washington revoked prior waivers days after former South Korean President Lee Jae Myung—who advocated a more balanced U.S.-China stance—signed a defense and investment deal with Trump. Recent U.S. immigration raids on Korean firms’ American subsidiaries have also fueled friction.