Quantum-safe NFC and eSIM chip for smartphones and smartwatches

For safety-critical functions in mobile devices with quantum secure cryptography (PQC), STMicroelectronics announces the ST54M. It combines two functions: an NFC controller and a secure element. The latter is primarily intended as the basis for an eSIM for smartphones, smartwatches and other wearables. Developers can also integrate it for secure ultra-wideband (UWB) communications, such as digital and contactless car and door keys.

The Secure Element uses the 32-bit computing core ARM Cortex-M35P and contains calculators for SHA-3 (Keccak) as well as the certified PQC algorithms ML-KEM (FIPS-203) and ML-DSA (FIPS-204). The STMicro ST45M is housed in a tiny housing with edge lengths of less than 4 millimeters.

PQC algorithms as protection against quantum computers

In 2024, the US standards authority NIST approved the Kyber and Dilithium algorithm specifications as Module Lattice-Based Key-Encapsulation Mechanism (ML-KEM/FIPS-203) and Module-Lattice-Based Digital Signature Algorithm (ML-DSA/FIPS-204). They should also withstand decryption attempts with powerful quantum computers, which are expected in the 2030s – or even in three years.

At the beginning of 2025, the BSI certified the first smart card chip from Infineon that implements these PQC algorithms (Tegrion SLC27). The OpenTitan project driven by Google protects the firmware of the “Earlgrey” chip with the PQC algorithm Stateless Hash-based Digital Signature Algorithm (SLH-DSA, IPS-205).

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