IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) has received regulatory clearance from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to proceed with its $1.8 billion acquisition of chipmaker SkyWater Technology (NASDAQ: SKYT), Reuters reported.
The deal combines a leading quantum computing firm with SkyWater, which the company describes as the largest semiconductor foundry based in the United States.
The FTC’s approval came despite a notable internal disagreement between agency leaders over whether conditions should be attached to the merger’s approval.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson proposed requiring IonQ to guarantee fair access to rival quantum computing companies, several of which hold ongoing contracts with SkyWater.
Ferguson’s proposed conditions were also tied to broader concerns about protecting competition as the United States continues to expand its domestic chip manufacturing capacity.
Commissioner Mark Meador took a differing view, stating his belief that the merger would not lessen competition in any meaningful way.
With the two senior officials unable to reach agreement on an order setting conditions, the agency ultimately chose to let the transaction proceed without restrictions.
Ferguson acknowledged the impasse directly, stating that because the two could not agree on an order setting conditions, “the next-best option is to get out of the way and permit the merger to close.”
The acquisition represents a significant move by IonQ to establish a physical manufacturing footprint in the semiconductor space, pairing quantum computing expertise with domestic foundry capabilities.
The deal’s completion is expected to draw continued scrutiny from industry observers watching how quantum computing firms integrate with traditional chip manufacturing infrastructure.
The approval adds to a growing pattern of consolidation in the U.S. semiconductor and advanced computing sectors, as companies race to build out domestic production capacity.
SkyWater’s position as the largest U.S.-based semiconductor foundry makes the acquisition a strategically consequential transaction for the broader American technology supply chain.
