Ionq Rigetti D Wave Lead Quantum Stocks Surge Are Etfs Benzinga

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Dec 30, 2025, 8:43 AM

ionq rigetti d wave lead quantum stocks surge are etfs benzinga

Quantum stocks staged a stunning comeback this week, making a previously niche corner of tech one of Wall Street’s most popular buzz topics. IonQ Inc (NYSE:IONQ), Rigetti Computing Inc (NASDAQ:RGTI), D-Wave Quantum Inc (NYSE:QBTS), and Quantum Computing Inc. (NASDAQ:QUBT) stocks soared to new highs as acquisitions, government orders, and optimistic analyst recommendations drove investors into the group. The surge has investors questioning: might ETFs be the safest way to surf the quantum wave? IONQ stock is hitting new highs. See the real-time price action here.

A number of ETFs offer exposure to quantum through specific holdings. Defiance Quantum ETF (NASDAQ:QTUM) – QTUM is about as close to a quantum dedicated ETF as exists. It tracks an index of international companies developing quantum computing, machine learning, and cloud technologies. The fund rose 2.83% on Thursday on interest in IonQ and Rigetti. With assets diversified across hardware, software, and enabling infrastructure, QTUM presents investors with a diversified entry into the wider quantum ecosystem. Quantum stocks staged a stunning comeback this week, making a previously niche corner of tech one of Wall Street’s most popular buzz topics.

IonQ Inc (NYSE:IONQ), Rigetti Computing Inc (NASDAQ:RGTI), D-Wave Quantum Inc (NYSE:QBTS), and Quantum Computing Inc. (NASDAQ:QUBT) stocks soared to new highs as acquisitions, government orders, and optimistic analyst recommendations drove investors into the group. The surge has investors questioning: might ETFs be the safest way to surf the quantum wave? IONQ stock is hitting new highs. See the real-time price action here. A number of ETFs offer exposure to quantum through specific holdings.

Defiance Quantum ETF (NASDAQ:QTUM) – QTUM is about as close to a quantum dedicated ETF as exists. It tracks an index of international companies developing quantum computing, machine learning, and cloud technologies. The fund rose 2.83% on Thursday on interest in IonQ and Rigetti. With assets diversified across hardware, software, and enabling infrastructure, QTUM presents investors with a diversified entry into the wider quantum ecosystem. Written by Zacks Equity Research for Zacks-> Chicago, IL – September 19, 2025– Today, Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights IonQ IONQ, Rigetti Computing RGTI and D-Wave Quantum QBTS.

Just two weeks ago (here), I laid out a tactical plan for trading the emerging leaders in the quantum space. Since then, IonQ, Rigetti Computing and D-Wave Quantum have delivered explosive rallies, rewarding traders who were positioned and pushing the group further into the spotlight. What was once considered a distant, almost science fiction theme is now moving rapidly toward commercialization, with major breakthroughs, expanding government support, and institutional investors beginning to take notice. While the quantum computing sector has exploded over the past year, the industry remains tiny compared to the broader market and its long-term potential. So even if sentiment feels frothy at times, quantum is still a relatively small space with plenty of room to grow. In this piece, we'll break down the latest company developments, put the sector's scope and market value in perspective, and examine the technical setups that could determine whether this rally has more legs, or...

A number of ETFs offer exposure to quantum through specific holdings. Defiance Quantum ETF (NASDAQ:QTUM) – QTUM is about as close to a quantum dedicated ETF as exists. It tracks an index of international companies developing quantum computing, machine learning, and cloud technologies. The fund rose 2.83% on Thursday on interest in IonQ and Rigetti. With assets diversified across hardware, software, and enabling infrastructure, QTUM presents investors with a diversified entry into the wider quantum ecosystem. In the high-stakes arena of emerging tech, quantum computing has roared back into the investor spotlight over the past month, riding a wave of breakthroughs that echo the early AI frenzy.

Stocks like IonQ (NYSE:IONQ), Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ:RGTI), and D-Wave Quantum (NYSE:QBTS) have each surged 80% to 90% since mid-August 2025, propelled by regulatory nods, strategic partnerships, and technical milestones. IonQ’s shares, for instance, rocketed from around $37 to $70, while RGTI climbed from $12 to $28, and QBTS leaped from $15 to $27. These gains stem from tangible progress: IonQ’s acquisition approvals, Rigetti’s defense contracts, and D-Wave’s Asia-Pacific expansion. Yet, with full commercial viability likely years away — experts peg fault-tolerant systems for 2030 or beyond — volatility looms large. The sector’s promise of revolutionizing drug discovery, optimization, and cryptography tempts bold bets, but cash burn and competition from tech giants like IBM (NYSE:IBM) and Google add risk. As quantum hype meets reality, should investors buy the dip, sell the spike, or hold for the long haul?

IonQ has emerged as the sector’s frontrunner this month, its stock exploding 91% on a cascade of wins that underscore its trapped-ion tech’s edge in accuracy and scalability. The crown jewel was final U.K. regulatory clearance for its $1.075 billion acquisition of Oxford Ionics, a move blending IonQ’s cloud-accessible systems with Ionics’ semiconductor-style qubit manufacturing. This could slash costs and fast-track IonQ’s roadmap to 256 high-fidelity qubits by 2026 and millions by 2030. Not long ago, quantum computing felt like science fiction. Today, it’s driving some of the stock market’s most explosive rallies.

Over the past year, shares of the leading pure-play quantum computing companies have skyrocketed, far outpacing even other hot tech sectors. D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) surged +2,158%, Rigetti Computing (Nasdaq: RGTI) jumped +2,448%, and IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) climbed +705% in just 12 months [14]. By comparison, even the electric vehicle and AI stock frenzies didn’t produce such across-the-board gains. This “quantum boom” has pushed the trio – sometimes dubbed the “Quantum Four” along with smaller peer QUBT – firmly into the spotlight [15] [16]. Several factors have catalyzed this breakout. Major technological breakthroughs and partnerships suggest quantum computing is moving closer to commercial reality [17].

Government support is expanding, with new U.S. initiatives and funding programs specifically backing quantum tech [18] [19]. And crucially, investor sentiment has shifted – institutional investors are now taking notice, and retail traders have piled in, drawn by the sector’s long-term potential and recent momentum [20] [21]. The result is a flurry of buying that sent quantum stocks parabolic in 2025. Yet for all the hype, the quantum computing industry remains minuscule relative to other tech industries. The combined market capitalization of all publicly traded quantum computing names is only ~$35–40 billion [22] – a drop in the bucket next to sectors like electric vehicles or cloud computing.

(At the height of the EV bubble, a single startup like Rivian briefly sported a $150 billion valuation [23].) This contrast underlines that quantum is still in its infancy, with plenty of room to... The upside could be enormous – but so are the uncertainties. Below, we dive into the key players IonQ, Rigetti, and D-Wave, their recent performance and developments, expert insights on the sector’s future, comparisons with other tech trends, and the risks and opportunities for investors... Overview: IonQ is often regarded as the front-runner among pure-play quantum computing companies. Founded in 2015 and based on University of Maryland research, IonQ specializes in trapped-ion quantum computers, a technology known for high qubit fidelity. Instead of using superconducting circuits like some competitors, IonQ traps individual ions (charged atoms) and manipulates them with lasers.

This approach has achieved impressive technical benchmarks – IonQ reports 99.9% gate fidelity (accuracy of operations) and an “all-to-all” qubit connectivity that can help reduce errors [25]. IonQ’s systems, such as its latest IonQ Forte (with 35+ “algorithmic qubits”), operate at room temperature and are accessible via cloud platforms including AWS Braket, Microsoft Azure Quantum, and Google Cloud [26]. The company is pursuing not just computing but also quantum networking and sensing technologies, aiming to build a broad quantum portfolio [27]. Recent Stock Performance & Financials: After going public via SPAC in late 2021, IonQ’s stock traded choppily for a while, but 2023–2025 saw a dramatic uptrend. The share price more than doubled in 2023 and then went into overdrive in mid-2025 – by September 2025 IonQ hit an all-time high around $65.44 per share [28]. Over the past year, IonQ is up roughly 700% [29], reflecting growing optimism about its prospects.

In terms of financials, IonQ remains in early-growth mode. Revenue is still modest (the company has typically recorded only a few million dollars per quarter from cloud access and research contracts) and it continues to operate at a net loss. However, IonQ’s revenue has been doubling annually, making it the “sector’s revenue growth leader” according to B. Riley analysts [30]. For example, 2024 revenue is on track to roughly double year-over-year for a third straight year [31] – albeit from a small base. Importantly, IonQ is well-capitalized: it held about $697 million in cash as of Q1 2025 [32], giving it a multi-year runway to fund R&D.

IonQ’s CEO Peter Chapman has stated the goal of achieving profitability by 2030, with ~$1 billion in annual sales by that time [33]. Hitting that target would require explosive growth, but management is confident given recent progress. As second-quarter 2025 earnings rolled in, three pure-play quantum computing companies, D-Wave Quantum QBTS, Rigetti Computing RGTI and IonQ IONQ, offered a snapshot of an industry that moves at light speed but still sees... The trio’s results revealed a common storyline, strong sales, bigger losses and huge cash reserves to fund the next big step in quantum computing. D-Wave Quantum’s second-quarter 2025 revenues rose 42% year over year, driven by Advantage2 quantum processing unit sales, including the system installed at Julich Supercomputing Center earlier this year. The company expanded its customer base with contracts from GE Vernova, Nikon and NTT DOCOMO, and strengthened global ties through partnerships in South Korea.

Technological progress included an open-source PyTorch toolkit and quantum-assisted image generation demos. Collaborating with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on advanced cryogenic packaging, D-Wave aims to accelerate its push toward a 100,000-qubit system, reinforcing its leadership in annealing quantum computing while broadening its international footprint. Financially, the company ended the quarter with a record $819.3 million in cash—an over 1,900% year-over-year increase driven by a $400 million at-the-market equity raise, warrant exercises and credit facility proceeds. Gross profit grew 42%, while adjusted EBITDA loss widened 44% year over year due to higher operating expenses from aggressive R&D and market expansion efforts. With strong liquidity, an expanding enterprise pipeline and parallel development in both annealing and gate-model architectures, D-Wave signaled that it is prepared to invest heavily in scaling technology and pursuing strategic acquisitions, while maintaining... IonQ delivered a standout second-quarter 2025, with revenues coming in 15% above the top end of guidance, reflecting accelerating commercial traction across quantum computing and networking.

The company’s momentum was underpinned by high-profile partnerships, including a landmark $22 million deal to build America’s first commercial quantum hub with utility leader EPB, and a 20x performance speed-up in quantum-accelerated drug development... However, the aggressive push into R&D, strategic acquisitions and talent expansion incurred steep costs. IonQ reported a net loss of $177.5 million and an adjusted EBITDA loss of $36.5 million for the quarter.

Ionq Rigetti D Wave Lead Quantum Stocks Surge Are Etfs Benzinga

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