Quantum Leap: Satellite QKD’s Race to Secure the Global Data Economy (2024–2031)
The global QKD market (including terrestrial and satellite) is projected to grow from about $0.48 billion in 2024 to $2.63 billion by 2030, a CAGR of roughly 32.6%. Space-based QKD is forecast to reach about $1.1 billion by 2030, representing roughly 40–45% of the total QKD market. China’s Micius satellite, launched in 2016, demonstrated QKD over 1,200 km and enabled a 7,600 km intercontinental secure video call in 2017, and by 2025 its Beijing–South Africa link achieved about 12,800 km. The ESA/EC EAGLE-1 mission is planned for launch in late 2025 or early 2026 as Europe’s first satellite-based QKD system