Will quantum computers rule the world? Microsoft’s new Majorana 1 chip

After 17 years of research, Microsoft has unveiled its first quantum processor: Majorana 1. Here’s what it is—and how it stacks up against Google’s Willow chip.

A palm-sized device, Majorana 1, could represent a turning point in the history of technology. According to Microsoft, its core innovation lies in a revolutionary subatomic particle that has made it possible to generate a new state of matter. The result? A processor potentially more potent than the combined computing power of every computer on Earth.

But Microsoft isn’t the only tech giant racing in this field. Google, with its Willow quantum chip, is pursuing a very different path toward quantum supremacy. So, what exactly is a quantum computer—and how does it work? And what sets these two approaches apart?

Quantum computer: Majorana 1 vs. Willow, two architectures compared

Microsoft’s announcement caught many by surprise, and its presentation video sparked mixed reactions. On the one hand, there was excitement about the breakthrough and the technological leap it might represent. On the other hand, there was recognition of the immense implications of an innovation that seems to push the limits of our current understanding of computing.

Let’s break it down. Until now, problems involving more than 20 electrons simultaneously were thought to be unsolvable. Even a planet-sized supercomputer would not have had the power to calculate the results accurately within a reasonable time frame.

Microsoft, however, has found a way forward. Majorana 1 could mark the first step toward quantum computers capable of handling calculations of unprecedented complexity. And according to the company, we won’t have to wait decades before this technology becomes operational. Having already invested 17 years of development, Microsoft’s team appears poised to usher in a new era of quantum computing.

Google, meanwhile, has introduced its Willow quantum processor, which solved a standard benchmark problem in just five minutes. By comparison, developers estimate that the world’s fastest supercomputer would have required 10 septillion years (10²⁵) to complete the same task.

If these predictions hold, we may be far closer than expected to a radical transformation in computing—one with profound implications for encryption, cybersecurity, and even the crypto industry.

The future is quantum. The real question is: are we ready?

A brief introduction to quantum mechanics: Schrodinger’s cat paradox

To understand what a quantum computer is—and how it works—it’s essential to start with the basics of quantum mechanics, the branch of physics that studies the principles governing matter and energy at the most minute scales. A classic starting point is Schrödinger’s cat paradox, a thought experiment devised in 1935 by physicist Erwin Schrödinger to illustrate the concept of superposition of states, and to highlight just how counterintuitive quantum mechanics can be when applied to the macroscopic world.

The experiment imagines a cat locked inside a box with a device that may release a lethal poison depending on the decay of a subatomic particle—an event dictated by the probabilistic laws of quantum physics. According to the theory, until the box is opened and the cat observed, the system exists in a superposition of states: the event may have occurred, or it may not have happened. The paradoxical outcome is that, from a quantum perspective, the cat is both alive and dead at the same time—at least until the moment of observation, when the system collapses into a single state.

For us “mere mortals,” used to the deterministic rules of classical physics, this seems nonsensical. Yet, it is a fundamental concept for understanding how quantum computers function. Unlike classical computers, which rely on binary logic (0s and 1s), quantum computers harness the principle of superposition, allowing their basic units—qubits—to exist in multiple states simultaneously.

The fundamental role of qubits

It’s impossible to understand what a quantum computer is—or how it works—without looking at its core building block: the qubit. In traditional computers, the smallest unit of information is the bit, which can only take on the values 0 or 1. In quantum computers, however, information is carried by qubits (quantum bits), a concept introduced by theoretical physicist Benjamin Schumacher.

To grasp how they work, it helps to recall how classical chips are built. Traditional processors rely on transistors, tiny devices that control the flow of electrical current. Over the years, these transistors have shrunk to atomic scales:

As we saw with Schrödinger’s cat, quantum mechanics allows for the superposition of states. To simplify, let’s use the analogy of a coin toss:

When combined with another quantum property called entanglement, qubits gain the ability to represent and process multiple possibilities simultaneously. This exponential parallelism gives quantum computers their extraordinary potential computing power—far beyond the limits of classical machines.

It’s on these principles that Microsoft, Google, and other players are racing to build the quantum computers of the future. Microsoft’s Majorana 1 relies on Majorana particles, while Google’s Willow takes an entirely different architectural path. In the following sections, we’ll explore the differences between these two designs and their potential impact on the future of technology.

Quantum computers: challenges and topological topoconductors

Now that we’ve explained qubits, let’s address the biggest obstacle to building practical quantum computers: stability. Current hardware faces a critical problem known as quantum noise, which introduces errors and makes systems unreliable. The more qubits are added to a system, the noisier and more complex to control it becomes—mainly because the very act of observation interferes with their state.

Microsoft believes the solution lies in materials science and chip design. Traditionally, we think of matter as existing in three states: solid, liquid, and gas. But what if we could engineer entirely new states of matter? That’s precisely what Microsoft has done by working with the Majorana particle, first theorised in 1937 by physicist Ettore Majorana.

This elusive particle exists only under special quantum conditions and behaves as its own antiparticle. After decades of research, Microsoft has finally succeeded in stabilising and controlling it, creating a new material called a topoconductor. This hybrid acts both as a semiconductor and a superconductor.

This breakthrough has enabled the construction of a topological core capable of housing millions of qubits on a chip no larger than the palm of a hand.

Microsoft has even developed a chip that can measure the presence of Majorana particles, allowing for the creation of topological qubits that overcome the noise and decoherence issues plaguing current quantum designs.

The process can be summarised as follows:

Unlike traditional chips, in Majorana 1, each atom is positioned with absolute precision. Even more striking, the chip doesn’t rely on electrons to perform calculations, but on Majorana particles themselves, which behave like half-electrons.

Willow: Google’s quantum chip

Google has also spent recent years developing its own quantum processor. The result of this work is Willow, a chip with some truly groundbreaking features.

The most striking innovation is Willow’s ability to correct qubit errors. As discussed earlier, qubits are incredibly fragile, prone to interacting with their environment and generating errors that compromise calculations. For decades, increasing the number of qubits meant amplifying these errors, making systems more unstable. Willow changes this dynamic.By using a grid of encoded qubits (ranging from 3×3 to 7×7) combined with real-time correction algorithms, Willow reduces error rates exponentially as the number of qubits grows. For instance, doubling the grid size cuts the error rate in half. This breakthrough demonstrated—for the first time—that it is possible to build scalable and reliable quantum systems, paving the way toward usable quantum computers.

Willow has also passed the Random Circuit Sampling (RCS) benchmark, which measures whether a quantum computer can perform calculations that are impossible for classical systems. For comparison, a supercomputer such as Frontier would require 10 septillion years (10²⁵) to solve the task that Willow completed in under five minutes.

What can be done with quantum computers?

Large-scale quantum computing has the potential to reshape entire industries.

In short, quantum computing is not just a technological evolution—it is a catalyst for transformative innovations across every aspect of human life.

Quantum computing also raises pressing questions about cryptographic security, particularly in the world of cryptocurrencies.

Today, Bitcoin and most blockchains rely on elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) to secure transactions. However, once quantum computers mature, these systems could become vulnerable. Breaking a 256-bit ECC key would require a fault-tolerant quantum computer with millions of physical qubits. While Shor’s algorithm—the quantum method capable of breaking ECC—remains theoretical, it underscores the need for advances in both quantum error correction and quantum hardware.

Microsoft claims that practical applications of Majorana 1 are a matter of years, not decades. If true, the crypto community may soon need to adopt quantum-resistant encryption methods, such as lattice-based cryptography.

The unveiling of Microsoft’s Majorana 1 and Google’s Willow marks a milestone in quantum research. If Microsoft can scale its approach successfully, we may be on the verge of an unprecedented scientific revolution.

The future of computing will be radically transformed—with profound implications for chemistry, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and beyond. Bitcoin and traditional cryptographic systems may have to adapt, but one thing is clear: the quantum era has officially begun.