Despite Trump Administration Denials Quantum Stocks Keep Leaping

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Jan 2, 2026, 8:47 PM

despite trump administration denials quantum stocks keep leaping

The Trump administration is pouring cold water on a report that it's "currently" in talks to take equity stakes in quantum computing companies like IonQ, Rigetti Computing, and D-Wave Quantum, but shares in each... "The Commerce Department is not currently negotiating equity stakes with quantum computing companies," the spokesperson said in a statement. The short statement still has room for investor optimism on the quantum names and the potential for a deal of some sort. "Currently" could imply talks will be held later, and "equity" could suggest a different structure in any kind of deal. Warrants would give the government the right to buy shares at a set price in the future, rather than an ownership stake now. "We are continuously engaging with the U.S.

government on funding opportunities," Rigetti said in a statement. "If the U.S. does not lead in supporting these breakthroughs, others will, posing significant risks to our national security." Quantum computing stocks continue to rebound following a Wall Street Journal article yesterday detailing potential U.S. government equity investments in the sector. The report outlined early discussions with the Commerce Dept., where firms could trade shares for at least $10 million each in federal funds.

Named in the piece were IonQ (NYSE:IONQ), Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ:RGTI), D-Wave Quantum (NYSE:QBTS), and Quantum Computing (NASDAQ:QUBT). These talks aimed to strengthen American leadership in quantum tech against international rivals. The story ignited investor excitement after consecutive days of declining stock prices, with QBTS, RGTI, IONQ, and QUBT all racing higher by double-digit percentages. Hours later, though, a Commerce official pushed back, stating the agency was “not currently negotiating equity stakes with quantum computing companies.” The denial did little to dampen enthusiasm. All four stocks closed higher for the day, with most up by single-digit rates, though QBTS closed with an almost 14% gain.

The rally is continuing this morning, with the quantum stocks offering a repeat performance as traders seemingly hang their hats on the word “currently” in the official response. They may be interpreting the denial as a temporary pause rather than a full rejection of negotiations. Some speculate the leak to the Journal might have been a premature disclosure rather than an absence of actual talks. A Commerce Department official said the Trump administration isn't negotiating with quantum-computing companies for equity stakes, denying a report. Quantum computing stocks such as IonQ (IONQ) and Rigetti Computing (RGTI) pared intraday gains but were still up sharply. Late Wednesday, the the Wall Street Journal reported that IonQ, Rigetti Computing and D-Wave Quantum (QBTS) were among the companies in talks to give…

12/22/2025 IonQ shows improving price performance, earning an upgrade to its IBD Relative Strength Rating from 80 to 85. 12/22/2025 IonQ shows improving price performance, earning an upgrade to its... Get instant access to exclusive stock lists, expert market analysis and powerful tools with 2 months of IBD Digital for only $20! Get market updates, educational videos, webinars, and stock analysis. The nascent but highly speculative quantum computing sector experienced a dramatic surge and subsequent recalibration on October 23, 2025, following reports of a "Trump bombshell." News broke that the U.S. Commerce Department was allegedly in talks to acquire equity stakes in several leading quantum computing firms in exchange for federal funding.

This unprecedented move, signaling a significant expansion of the administration's "state capitalism" industrial policy, sent shockwaves through the market, driving up the share prices of companies like IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI),... However, the initial euphoria was quickly tempered. Later the same day, the Commerce Department issued an official denial, stating it was "not currently negotiating equity stakes with quantum computing companies." This clarification led to a partial retraction of the earlier gains,... The event, though short-lived in its peak impact, has fundamentally reshaped perceptions of how the federal government might accelerate the development of strategically vital technologies. The "Trump bombshell" originated from reports that began circulating late on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, and gained significant traction throughout Thursday, October 23, 2025. Major financial news outlets, notably the Wall Street Journal, reported that the U.S.

Commerce Department was exploring a novel approach to bolster the nation's quantum capabilities: directly investing in key quantum computing companies by acquiring equity stakes. This strategy was posited as a direct extension of the administration's industrial policy, which had previously seen the government take stakes in other strategically vital sectors, such as chip manufacturing and rare earth mining. Under the reported arrangement, a select group of quantum computing firms, including publicly traded entities like IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI), D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS), and Quantum Computing Inc. (NASDAQ: QUBT), alongside privately held Atom Computing, were allegedly in discussions to receive at least $10 million each in federal funding. In exchange for this crucial capital injection, these companies would grant equity ownership to the government. The stated rationale behind this aggressive intervention was to accelerate federal adoption of quantum technology, promote the widespread use of post-quantum cryptography, and ensure the United States maintains an undisputed lead in the global...

The initial market reaction was swift and overwhelmingly positive. As the news spread on October 23, 2025, quantum computing stocks surged across the board. IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) saw its shares climb between 7% and 14%, while Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI) experienced gains ranging from 8.3% to 15.6%. D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) witnessed an even more substantial jump, with its stock increasing between 10.9% and 20%. Quantum Computing Inc. (NASDAQ: QUBT) also saw its shares rise between 9.8% and 12.8%.

The broader Defiance Quantum ETF (NYSEARCA: QTUM), which tracks a basket of quantum-related companies, advanced by 2%, reflecting widespread optimism. Allison Robbert/Bloomberg via Getty Images President Donald Trump's hands-on approach to publicly-traded companies—sometimes called "state capitalism" or "national capitalism" now reportedly includes quantum computing firms. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration is involved in discussions with a handful of companies, promising them federal funding in exchange for equity stakes given to the Commerce Department. The report sent shares of IonQ (IONQ), Rigetti Computing (RGTI), D-Wave Quantum (QBTS), and Quantum Computing (QUBT) sky-high Thursday. Their stocks were up between 5% and 14%.

The Defiance Quantum ETF (QTUM), which holds 80-odd stocks, advanced 2%. In the meantime, investors awaited further details. The White House, Commerce Department and D-Wave did not respond to Investopedia's queries in time for publication; IonQ and Quantum Computing said they do not comment on rumor or speculation; a spokesperson from Rigetti... government on funding opportunities." Investors are rushing into cutting-edge technology companies and adjacent suppliers to capture the upside implied by reports of U.S. government involvement.

Caution may be warranted, however, with reports still unconfirmed and many of the companies moving today already highly volatile.

Despite Trump Administration Denials Quantum Stocks Keep Leaping

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