Quantum Blockchain Technologies (AIM:QBT), the AIM-listed investment company focused on research and development in blockchain technology, said the US Patent and Trademark Office has approved its patent application for "Message Scheduling for Cryptographic Hashing", known as ASIC UltraBoost.
The invention aims to improve Bitcoin mining efficiency by removing redundant computations in the SHA256 message schedule used in mining hardware.
Approval is not the same as a final grant.
QBT still needs to pay issue and publication fees to the USPTO, and has instructed its UK patent lawyer to coordinate with its US patent attorney on submitting that payment.
"The patented technology addresses a well-defined and technically demonstrable inefficiency in message scheduling for SHA256 ASIC implementations, an area of continuing commercial importance," said Francesco Gardin, QBT's chief executive and executive chairman.
Gardin said the process could interest established ASIC manufacturers looking to boost hardware efficiency, and that the company plans to explore licensing or other commercial routes to monetise this and other patents in its portfolio.
QBT is seeking to bring in semiconductor sector specialists to advise on monetisation strategy.
Gardin cautioned that timing, structure and outcome of any discussions remain uncertain, with no assurance the patent generates material revenue in the short term.
News Intelligence what this means for the company
The US Patent and Trademark Office has approved QBT's patent application for ASIC UltraBoost, a technology designed to improve Bitcoin mining efficiency by removing redundant computations in SHA256 message scheduling. However, approval is not final issuance—the company must still pay USPTO fees and complete procedural steps. CEO Francesco Gardin acknowledged that timing and outcome of any commercial discussions remain uncertain, with no assurance the patent will generate material revenue in the short term.
The patent approval represents a technical validation of QBT's R&D work, but the company's pre-revenue status and Gardin's explicit caution about near-term monetisation mean this is a step toward potential licensing revenue rather than a near-term catalyst. The company is now seeking semiconductor specialists to advise on commercialisation strategy, signalling that the path from patent to revenue remains undefined.
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