The United States Representative W. Gregory Steube disclosed a purchase of IonQ ($IONQ) stock on March 18, 2026, marking the first recorded congressional trade in the quantum computing company. The disclosure comes as IonQ shares have risen over 30% since the trade and surged further following the company’s April 14 announcement of a new Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) contract under its HARQ program.
- Steube reported purchasing between $1,001 and $15,000 of IonQ stock, with the trade disclosed on April 14, 2026.
- IonQ shares have increased approximately 31.56% since the transaction, outperforming the broader market over the same period.
- The company announced it was selected for DARPA’s Heterogeneous Architectures for Quantum (HARQ) program, focused on developing networked quantum computing systems.
- IonQ’s role includes advancing quantum interconnect technology and quantum memory systems using synthetic diamond-based hardware.
- The company reported technical milestones in 2025, including 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity and progress in quantum networking infrastructure.
- Steube serves on the House Intelligence Committee, which oversees national security matters including advanced defense technologies.
- IonQ has reported federal lobbying activity related to quantum computing, national security, and technology policy, with disclosures available here.
Relevant Companies
- IonQ ($IONQ) – Quantum computing firm awarded a DARPA contract, with shares rising sharply following the announcement.
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. This article may be updated as more detail
