Riyadh - Mubasher: IBM and Saudi Telecom Company (stc) expanded their collaboration to enhance quantum-safe cybersecurity solutions across Saudi Arabia’s telecommunications sector, reinforcing the Kingdom’s readiness for the post-quantum era and advancing national cyber resilience.

Under the partnership, stc is deploying IBM’s quantum-safe solutions to assess and harden its data-protection and encryption systems against future risks posed by large-scale quantum computing, according to a press release.

Moreover, the initiative includes building a quantum-safe framework to proactively detect and mitigate cryptographic risks.

The framework incorporates advanced cryptographic tools, quantum-safe protocols, and governance aligned with US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, embedding security-by-design across stc’s networks and subscriber services.

CSDM Excellence and Engineering General Manager at stc Abdulaziz A. Alaqil, said: “Our collaboration with IBM is focused on future-proofing our digital ecosystem and the clients we serve, ensuring we are equipped with the most comprehensive quantum-safe solutions available.”

For his part, Khaled Al Ofaysan, Country Head and Managing Partner at IBM Consulting Saudi Arabia, stated: “Our work with stc can be traced back several years, and we are delighted to have collaborated with the telecoms operator again, now to advance the Saudi telecommunications sector toward quantum-safe readiness.”

The partnership reflects both partners’ commitment to advancing Saudi Arabia’s cybersecurity posture and supports the Kingdom’s broader investment in quantum technologies, talent development, and digital resilience under Vision 2030.

It is worth noting that earlier in an exclusive interview with Mubasher on the sidelines of the FinTech Forward 2025 (FF25), the CEO of STC Pay Bahrain, a subsidiary of stc, Metin Zavrak, announced plans to expand the mobile wallet across the Middle East and the GCC.