Israel launches Project Nexus to build sovereign quantum computer, raising fresh questions for crypto security

Israel just fired a starting gun in the global quantum computing race. The country’s National AI Directorate, operating under the Prime Minister’s Office, published a government tender for Project Nexus on August 4, 2026. The goal: build a nationally owned quantum computing platform manufactured on Israeli soil. The initiative is the first applied project under Government Decision 4255, which lays out Israel’s broader national AI strategy. That strategy carries an estimated price tag of NIS 5 billion, roughly $1.66 billion, aimed squarely at achieving what officials are calling “technological sovereignty” in AI and quantum technologies. What Project Nexus actually entails Project Nexus is structured as a government tender, meaning private companies and academic institutions will compete for the contract to help build the platform. No winning bidders have been announced yet, and specific budget allocations for this particular project haven’t been disclosed. Israel’s previous quantum push, the Israel National Quantum Initiative, has already directed approximately NIS 1.2 billion (about $400 million) toward quantum research and infrastructure. Project Nexus represents an escalation of...