PR Newswire
LONDON, United Kingdom, May 07
7 May 2026
Quantum Blockchain Technologies Plc
(«QBT» or «the Company»)
Update on European and US Patent Applications – «ASIC Ultra Boost»
European Patent Application
Quantum Blockchain Technologies plc (AIM: QBT), the AIM-listed investment
company focused principally on a research, development and investment programme
within blockchain technology, provides an update in relation to its European
patent application referred to as «ASIC Ultra Boost» (European Patent
Application No. 22793447.8, titled «Message Scheduling for Cryptographic
Hashing»), following receipt of an Examination Report from the European Patent
Office («EPO») and initial advice from its European patent attorneys.
The issuance of an Examination Report is a standard and expected step in the
European patent application process and represents the beginning of substantive
examination by the EPO. Such reports are routinely addressed through further
technical clarification and refinement of the claims.
Examiner Feedback
The Examination Report raises:
· an objection relating to patentable subject-matter, based on the current
claim formulation; and
· novelty objections based on prior publications, including a thesis by the
inventor, a paper by Dr Nicolas T. Courtois, and a US patent application filed
by Intel Corporation (US 2018/0006808 A1).
The Company notes that the inventor’s thesis and Intel Corporation’s US patent
application are explicitly cited within the patent application.
Company Position and Strategy
Following an initial review with its patent attorneys, QBT believes that the
Examiner’s observations primarily reflect the breadth of the patent
application’s current claims rather than a fundamental weakness in the
underlying invention.
In particular:
· the patentable subject-matter objection is considered formal in nature and
is expected to be addressed through minor claim amendments clarifying the
technical implementation; and
· the novelty objections are viewed as relating to claim scope optimisation,
with the Company believing that the core inventive concepts described in the
specification remain distinct and defensible.
The Company therefore considers that there remains a credible pathway to
securing patent protection for ASIC Ultra Boost, through targeted refinement of
the claims and continued technical engagement with the EPO.
Next Steps
The deadline for responding to the Examination Report is 23 August 2026. QBT is
actively working with its patent attorneys to prepare a comprehensive response,
which is expected to include:
· revised claim wording aligned with the Examiner’s comments; and
· detailed technical arguments reinforcing the novelty and inventive step of
the invention.
US Patent Application
The Company also provides an update in relation to its US patent application
referred to as «ASIC Ultra Boost» (US Patent Application No. 18/696,073, titled
«Message Scheduling for Cryptographic Hashing») which, as disclosed previously,
has received a «Final Rejection» from the United States Patent and Trademark
Office («USPTO»).
The Company’s US attorneys conducted an interview with the US Patent Examiner on
24 April 2026 to seek clarification on the objections raised in the Final
Rejection and to discuss a way forward with the US patent application.
The US Patent Examiner indicated that certain subject-matter from the
description should be recited in the claims, which define the scope of
protection being sought. The Company’s US attorneys have now submitted a set of
amended claims for the US Patent Examiner to consider in more detail. The
Company expects to receive the Examiner’s feedback on the amended claims within
the next 1-2 weeks. QBT will provide further updates as appropriate.
Francesco Gardin, CEO and Executive Chairman of QBT, commented:
«We view the Examination Report from the EPO as a constructive and expected
stage in the European patent application process. Importantly, the feedback
received does not challenge the core of our technology, but rather the way in
which the claims are currently framed.
Our initial assessment is that the issues raised are addressable through
targeted amendments, and we believe the underlying invention remains strong and
differentiated. We are working closely with our patent attorneys to refine the
claims and advance the application. We remain confident in the potential value
of the ASIC Ultra Boost technology and its relevance to next-generation Bitcoin
mining optimisation.
Regarding the US patent application, the recent interview with the USPTO
Examiner has provided useful direction on how to refine our claims, particularly
around the treatment of reusable values and their implementation. We believe
that the requested clarifications are consistent with our existing specification
and have been addressed through the targeted amendments provided. We are now
awaiting the Examiner’s feedback on these proposed changes.
The US patent process may require multiple iterations, especially for innovative
technologies such as ASIC Ultra Boost, and we remain committed to progressing
the application in order to maximise its potential value.»
-ends-
For further information please contact:
Quantum Blockchain Technologies Plc
+39 335 296573
Francesco Gardin, CEO and Executive Chairman
SP Angel Corporate Finance (Nominated Adviser & Broker) +44 (0) 20 3470 0470
Caroline Rowe / Devik Mehta
Leander (Financial
PR) +44 (0) 7795
168 157
Christian Taylor-Wilkinson
About Quantum Blockchain Technologies Plc
QBT (AIM: QBT) is a London Stock Exchange AIM listed Research & Development and
investing company focused on an intensive R&D programme to disrupt the
Blockchain Technologies sector which includes, cryptocurrency mining and other
advanced blockchain applications. The primary goal of the R&D programme is to
develop Bitcoin mining tools and techniques, via its technology-driven approach,
which the Company believes will significantly outperform existing market
practices
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