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Quantum Investing in 2026: Hit the Jackpot With the Best 3 Stocks
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Key Takeaways
IonQ aims for 100-256 qubit systems by 2026, expanding commercial engagements and partnerships.
IBM targets quantum advantage in 2026 with its 120-qubit Nighthawk processor and HPC integration.
NVIDIA advances hybrid quantum-classical platforms, boosting research via CUDA Q and new quantum centers.
For equity investors looking beyond incremental AI investments, quantum computing is emerging as one of the most lucrative opportunities heading into 2026. Industry estimates show the global quantum computing market is expected to grow from $0.8 billion in 2025 to $1.08 billion in 2026, with a projected CAGR of 35.2% through 2035 as enterprises accelerate adoption across high-impact sectors like finance, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and AI-driven applications (Global Growth Insights report). McKinsey estimates quantum computing-related revenues could reach up to $72 billion by 2035, driven by applications in optimization, materials science, drug discovery and complex financial modeling.
For investors, this growth narrative has already translated into outsized stock performance, with several pure-play quantum stocks delivering quadruple-digit returns during 2024–2025 despite the absence of positive earnings, as revenues scaled from a small base, order backlogs expanded and balance sheets were strengthened through equity raises. The Defiance Quantum ETF (QTUM - Free Report) gained 103.9% during this period.
In this article, we discuss three stocks- IonQ (IONQ - Free Report) , International Business Machines (IBM - Free Report) and NVIDIA (NVDA - Free Report) that are expected to deliver significant gains in 2026, banking on accelerating quantum adoption, expanding commercial pipelines and measurable progress in hybrid and fault-tolerant quantum computing systems.
Quantum Stocks Soaring in Quadruple Digits in 2024-25
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
While revenues remain modest and profitability elusive, the convergence of accelerating enterprise interest, rising government and corporate funding and visible technical progress is positioning 2026 as a potential inflection year, when valuation dispersion between leaders and laggards could widen sharply. For investors willing to tolerate volatility, quantum computing increasingly resembles a high-beta, early-cycle technology bet rather than a distant scientific experiment.
Strategic Quantum Investment Can Earn a Jackpot in 2026: Here's Why
Capital deployment into the sector is surging, with quantum funding more than doubling year over year in 2025. Going by SPINQ, total equity funding reached $3.77 billion across the first three quarters of 2025, positioning quantum computing among the fastest-growing deep-tech segments globally and setting the stage for further capital inflows in 2026.
Strategic corporate and government involvement is intensifying. Global governments committed roughly $1.8 billion to quantum initiatives in 2024, and by April 2025, cumulative public funding had expanded to $10 billion worldwide, driven by major national programs. Notable examples include Japan’s $7.4 billion quantum commitment and Spain’s €808 million investment under its 2025-2030 quantum strategy.
SPINQ highlights that the United States plans over $2.5 billion in federal quantum funding between 2026 and 2030, supplemented by large state-level initiatives. Europe continues to back quantum development through its €1 billion Quantum Flagship program, while China’s ¥1 trillion national fund underscores its intent to accelerate commercialization. Additional commitments from Australia, Singapore and others further broaden the global funding base.
Taken together, these trends point to 2026 as a potential inflection year, where sustained capital inflows, policy backing and technical validation converge, creating the conditions for outsized returns for investors allocating capital strategically to quantum computing.
3 Stocks Up for Big 2026 Gains Through Quantum Computing
IonQ: The company is focused on trapped-ion qubits, which are widely regarded for high fidelity and coherence in quantum operations. IonQ’s technology is accessible through major cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure, helping enterprises and researchers run quantum workloads. According to IonQ’s published roadmap, the company aims to scale systems into the 100-256+ physical qubit range by 2026, with larger machines planned in subsequent years. IonQ is also expanding its technology stack and capabilities through strategic acquisitions and partnerships that support quantum computing and networking. These developments, combined with increasing commercial engagements, provide a foundation for potential revenue growth and valuation expansion as the quantum ecosystem evolves.
This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock is projected to report earnings growth of 65.8% on revenue growth of 83.3%.
IBM: Although not a pure-play quantum computing company, IBM remains a crucial player in quantum computing with clear 2026 catalysts. IBM has introduced the Quantum Nighthawk processor, a 120-qubit system with enhanced qubit connectivity that enables more complex circuits than prior generations. The company’s roadmap targets demonstrating quantum advantage by the end of 2026 through improved hardware performance and integration with classical high-performance computing workflows. IBM plans to scale future Nighthawk iterations to support higher gate counts, which, along with cloud delivery via the IBM Quantum Platform, strengthens its potential to drive broader enterprise adoption and commercial use cases in the quantum era.
This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock is projected to report earnings growth of 7.5% on revenue growth of 4.9%.
International Business Machines Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
NVDA: This AI mammoth is also playing a crucial role in advancing quantum computing through its hybrid quantum-classical computing platforms and tools. NVIDIA’s CUDA-Q open-source platform enables the integration of quantum processors with GPU-based high-performance computing systems, accelerating hybrid research and algorithm development at national computing centers in Germany, Japan and Poland. CUDA-Q also serves as the foundation for NVIDIA’s quantum computing simulation microservices, which let researchers build and test quantum algorithms with GPU acceleration. In 2025, NVIDIA announced the Accelerated Quantum Research Center in Boston to collaborate with quantum hardware and software partners.
Image: Bigstock
Quantum Investing in 2026: Hit the Jackpot With the Best 3 Stocks
Key Takeaways
For equity investors looking beyond incremental AI investments, quantum computing is emerging as one of the most lucrative opportunities heading into 2026. Industry estimates show the global quantum computing market is expected to grow from $0.8 billion in 2025 to $1.08 billion in 2026, with a projected CAGR of 35.2% through 2035 as enterprises accelerate adoption across high-impact sectors like finance, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and AI-driven applications (Global Growth Insights report). McKinsey estimates quantum computing-related revenues could reach up to $72 billion by 2035, driven by applications in optimization, materials science, drug discovery and complex financial modeling.
For investors, this growth narrative has already translated into outsized stock performance, with several pure-play quantum stocks delivering quadruple-digit returns during 2024–2025 despite the absence of positive earnings, as revenues scaled from a small base, order backlogs expanded and balance sheets were strengthened through equity raises. The Defiance Quantum ETF (QTUM - Free Report) gained 103.9% during this period.
In this article, we discuss three stocks- IonQ (IONQ - Free Report) , International Business Machines (IBM - Free Report) and NVIDIA (NVDA - Free Report) that are expected to deliver significant gains in 2026, banking on accelerating quantum adoption, expanding commercial pipelines and measurable progress in hybrid and fault-tolerant quantum computing systems.
Quantum Stocks Soaring in Quadruple Digits in 2024-25
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
While revenues remain modest and profitability elusive, the convergence of accelerating enterprise interest, rising government and corporate funding and visible technical progress is positioning 2026 as a potential inflection year, when valuation dispersion between leaders and laggards could widen sharply. For investors willing to tolerate volatility, quantum computing increasingly resembles a high-beta, early-cycle technology bet rather than a distant scientific experiment.
Strategic Quantum Investment Can Earn a Jackpot in 2026: Here's Why
Capital deployment into the sector is surging, with quantum funding more than doubling year over year in 2025. Going by SPINQ, total equity funding reached $3.77 billion across the first three quarters of 2025, positioning quantum computing among the fastest-growing deep-tech segments globally and setting the stage for further capital inflows in 2026.
Strategic corporate and government involvement is intensifying. Global governments committed roughly $1.8 billion to quantum initiatives in 2024, and by April 2025, cumulative public funding had expanded to $10 billion worldwide, driven by major national programs. Notable examples include Japan’s $7.4 billion quantum commitment and Spain’s €808 million investment under its 2025-2030 quantum strategy.
SPINQ highlights that the United States plans over $2.5 billion in federal quantum funding between 2026 and 2030, supplemented by large state-level initiatives. Europe continues to back quantum development through its €1 billion Quantum Flagship program, while China’s ¥1 trillion national fund underscores its intent to accelerate commercialization. Additional commitments from Australia, Singapore and others further broaden the global funding base.
Taken together, these trends point to 2026 as a potential inflection year, where sustained capital inflows, policy backing and technical validation converge, creating the conditions for outsized returns for investors allocating capital strategically to quantum computing.
3 Stocks Up for Big 2026 Gains Through Quantum Computing
IonQ: The company is focused on trapped-ion qubits, which are widely regarded for high fidelity and coherence in quantum operations. IonQ’s technology is accessible through major cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure, helping enterprises and researchers run quantum workloads. According to IonQ’s published roadmap, the company aims to scale systems into the 100-256+ physical qubit range by 2026, with larger machines planned in subsequent years. IonQ is also expanding its technology stack and capabilities through strategic acquisitions and partnerships that support quantum computing and networking. These developments, combined with increasing commercial engagements, provide a foundation for potential revenue growth and valuation expansion as the quantum ecosystem evolves.
This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock is projected to report earnings growth of 65.8% on revenue growth of 83.3%.
IonQ, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
IonQ, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | IonQ, Inc. Quote
IBM: Although not a pure-play quantum computing company, IBM remains a crucial player in quantum computing with clear 2026 catalysts. IBM has introduced the Quantum Nighthawk processor, a 120-qubit system with enhanced qubit connectivity that enables more complex circuits than prior generations. The company’s roadmap targets demonstrating quantum advantage by the end of 2026 through improved hardware performance and integration with classical high-performance computing workflows. IBM plans to scale future Nighthawk iterations to support higher gate counts, which, along with cloud delivery via the IBM Quantum Platform, strengthens its potential to drive broader enterprise adoption and commercial use cases in the quantum era.
This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock is projected to report earnings growth of 7.5% on revenue growth of 4.9%.
International Business Machines Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
International Business Machines Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | International Business Machines Corporation Quote
NVDA: This AI mammoth is also playing a crucial role in advancing quantum computing through its hybrid quantum-classical computing platforms and tools. NVIDIA’s CUDA-Q open-source platform enables the integration of quantum processors with GPU-based high-performance computing systems, accelerating hybrid research and algorithm development at national computing centers in Germany, Japan and Poland. CUDA-Q also serves as the foundation for NVIDIA’s quantum computing simulation microservices, which let researchers build and test quantum algorithms with GPU acceleration. In 2025, NVIDIA announced the Accelerated Quantum Research Center in Boston to collaborate with quantum hardware and software partners.
This Zacks Rank #2 stock is projected to report earnings growth of 55% on revenue growth of 43.2%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here.
NVIDIA Corporation Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise
NVIDIA Corporation price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | NVIDIA Corporation Quote