Pioneering a new foundation for quantum cryptography with meta-complexity

13 June 2025, Taipei, Taiwan  – Hon Hai Research Institute (HHRI), the research arm of Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) (TWSE: 2317), the world’s largest electronics manufacturer and technology service provider, has achieved a significant breakthrough in quantum computing. Researchers from HHRI’s Quantum Computing Division have demonstrated the possibility of constructing quantum cryptography without relying on traditional one-way functions, using instead a novel theoretical framework known as meta-complexity. This groundbreaking result has been accepted at Crypto, the world’s leading conference in cryptography, highlighting HHRI’s advanced research capabilities and its growing influence in the global quantum technology landscape.

Figure 1: Overview of the relationships between key quantum cryptographic primitives and quantum computational complexity. Black lines indicate known results or straightforward inferences; red lines highlight HHRI’s new discoveries.

This groundbreaking research, led by Dr. Taiga Hirooka, a researcher at HHRI, in collaboration with Professor Tomoyuki Morimae of Kyoto University and scientific advisor to HHRI, is the first to establish a deep theoretical connection between core tools in quantum cryptography—such as one-way puzzles and quantum random number generators—and a fundamental decision problem known as GapK. The GapK problem centers on determining whether a given piece of information is intrinsically complex or can be succinctly described, offering a novel lens through which to understand the foundations of quantum cryptography.

This discovery not only establishes a new theoretical foundation for quantum cryptography, but also paves the way for the development of next-generation Proofs of Quantumness—a critical step toward constructing secure and verifiable quantum technologies. The work aligns with concurrent research from two international teams and is widely seen as marking a new chapter in the evolution of quantum cryptography.

Crypto (International Cryptology Conference) is one of the most prestigious and longest-running academic conferences in the field of cryptography. Established in 1981, it has become a cornerstone of the discipline—alongside Eurocrypt and Asiacrypt—and is one of the three flagship events organized by the International Association for Cryptologic Research (IACR).

Crypto attracts leading researchers and industry pioneers from around the globe and has served as the launchpad for numerous foundational advances in cryptographic theory and practice. Publishing at Crypto is widely regarded as one of the highest honors in the field, representing a hallmark of excellence in theoretical rigor, technical innovation, and lasting impact.

HHRI’s latest breakthrough, now accepted at Crypto, not only enhances Taiwan’s presence in the field of quantum cryptography but also highlights Foxconn’s sustained investment and growing expertise in quantum computing. The Hon Hai Research Institute will continue to advance quantum computing research to drive global technological innovation and industrial progress.

Crypto 2025：https://crypto.iacr.org/2025/

About Hon Hai Research Institute

The institute, founded in 2020 and part of Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), has five research centers. Each center has an average of 40 high technology R&D professionals, all of whom are focused on the research and development of new technologies, the strengthening of Foxconn’s technology and product innovation pipeline, efforts to support the Group’s transformation from "brawn" to "brains", and the enhancement of the competitiveness of Foxconn’s "3+3+3" strategy.