Quantum computing is steadily moving beyond academic theory into commercial reality, drawing increasing interest from corporations, governments and long-term investors seeking exposure to next-generation computing power. Per a report by Grand View Research, the global quantum computing market was valued at $1.42 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $4.24 billion by 2030, expanding at a robust 20.5% CAGR from 2025 to 2030. For investors willing to tolerate sharp volatility, the sector offers a rare mix of early-stage uncertainty and outsized upside potential as companies race to turn quantum breakthroughs into commercially viable platforms.

Within this rapidly evolving market, Rigetti Computing (RGTI Quick QuoteRGTI - Free Report) and D-Wave Quantum (QBTS Quick QuoteQBTS - Free Report) are emerging as two closely watched pure-play quantum computing stocks, though their strategies differ considerably.

Rigetti Computing is focused on scaling superconducting gate-model quantum systems, with its recently launched 108-qubit Cepheus-1 platform highlighting the company’s push toward higher qubit counts, improving fidelity and faster gate speeds to achieve quantum advantage over the long term. D-Wave Quantum, meanwhile, is leveraging its leadership in quantum annealing while expanding into gate-model computing through its Quantum Circuits acquisition. The company continues to see growing commercial traction, supported by record bookings, rising system sales and expanding applications across optimization, AI and blockchain, positioning QBTS as an early mover in practical quantum computing adoption.

Price Performance of RGTI & QBTS

Shares of Rigetti and QBTS have gained 11.2% and 4%, respectively, in the year-to-date period.

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The Case for RGTI

Scaling Its Gate-Model Quantum Leadership

Rigetti Computing is strengthening its position in superconducting gate-model quantum computing through steady improvements in scalability, fidelity and system performance. During its first-quarter 2026 earnings call, RGTI highlighted the commercial launch of its 108-qubit Cepheus-1 system, which management described as one of the largest generally available modular quantum computing systems currently in the market. Built using Rigetti Computing’s chiplet-based architecture, the platform represents an important milestone in the company’s long-term strategy to scale higher-qubit systems while maintaining faster gate speeds than several competing quantum modalities.  

Improving Fidelity and Expanding Commercial Access

Rigetti Computing is also making notable progress in improving quantum system performance. Management disclosed that the company achieved 99.9% two-qubit gate fidelity at 28-nanosecond gate speeds on a prototype system using its proprietary adiabatic CZ gate scheme, underscoring advancements in reducing error rates while preserving processing speed advantages.

The company is now working to transfer those gains into larger-scale commercial systems like Cepheus-1-108Q, which is already available through Rigetti Quantum Cloud Services, Amazon Braket, Microsoft Azure Quantum and qBraid. Alongside cloud expansion, Rigetti Computing continues to see growing traction for its on-premise Novera QPU systems across research institutions and government-backed quantum initiatives.

The Case for QBTS

Commercial Momentum Continues to Accelerate

D-Wave Quantum is increasingly differentiating itself through growing commercial adoption and real-world deployment of its quantum systems. During its first-quarter 2026 earnings call, management highlighted record quarterly bookings of $33.4 million, representing nearly 2,000% year-over-year growth, supported by expanding enterprise demand and large system sales.

The company also noted that its sales pipeline more than doubled sequentially during the quarter, while management now expects two to three system sales annually versus prior expectations of roughly one system sale per year. Unlike many quantum peers still largely focused on research-stage experimentation, D-Wave continues to emphasize that its annealing quantum systems are already being used in production environments across optimization, manufacturing, logistics and scientific computing applications.

Expanding Beyond Annealing Into Gate-Model Quantum Computing

D-Wave is also broadening its long-term opportunity through its recent acquisition of Quantum Circuits, which significantly strengthened the company’s position in gate-model quantum computing. Management believes the acquisition gives D-Wave exposure to both major quantum computing architectures — annealing and gate-model systems — potentially allowing it to address a wider share of the future quantum computing market.

The company recently outlined a roadmap targeting 100 logical qubits by 2032 using its dual-rail superconducting qubit technology, which management believes could combine the speed advantages of superconducting systems with the higher fidelity typically associated with trapped-ion and neutral atom approaches.

D-Wave also continues expanding partnerships and customer engagement in emerging areas such as blockchain, AI and quantum simulation, including its collaboration with Post-Quantum Labs on a quantum-classical blockchain test network.

How Do Estimates Compare for RGTI & QBTS?

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RGTI’s 2026 sales implies year-over-year growth of 257.3%. For 2026, the loss per share is projected to be 19 cents compared with 64 cents a year ago.

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The Zacks Consensus Estimate for QBTS’s 2026 sales implies year-over-year growth of 63.3%. For 2026, the loss per share is projected to be 31 cents compared with $1.11 a year ago.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

RGTI or QBTS: Which Is a Better Pick?

From a rankings perspective, D-Wave Quantum currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), while Rigetti Computing carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell), giving QBTS a modest advantage based on earnings estimate revision trends and near-term analyst sentiment. Both stocks also carry a Value Score of F, reflecting the premium valuations investors continue assigning to quantum computing names despite limited profitability and still-developing commercial markets. In many ways, the sector continues to trade more on future disruption potential than on traditional valuation metrics.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The divergence becomes more noticeable when comparing growth profiles and execution trends. Rigetti currently carries a Growth Score of C, while QBTS has a weaker Growth Score of F, suggesting D-Wave’s recent momentum and commercial traction may already be more heavily reflected in the stock price. Operationally, QBTS appears ahead in terms of commercialization, with rapidly expanding bookings, growing system sales and increasing adoption across optimization, AI and blockchain applications. Rigetti, meanwhile, remains more focused on advancing superconducting gate-model hardware capabilities, scaling qubit counts and improving fidelity as it works toward longer-term quantum advantage milestones.

For investors, the better quantum computing pick ultimately depends on risk appetite and investment strategy. QBTS may appeal more to investors seeking stronger near-term commercial momentum, improving enterprise traction and broader application deployment. RGTI, on the other hand, remains a more speculative hardware-driven story tied to future breakthroughs in superconducting quantum computing. While both stocks remain highly volatile and expensive relative to current fundamentals, QBTS currently appears better positioned from a commercialization and execution standpoint, whereas RGTI may require more patience as its longer-term technology roadmap develops.