Best Quantum Computing Stocks to Buy in 2025: Top Pure-Plays & Big Tech

Best Quantum Computing Stocks in 2025: Who’s Leading the Quantum Revolution?

Quantum computing remains one of the most hyped, yet still-developing, fields in tech. For investors curious about getting exposure to this sector, there are a few pure-play stocks and several big tech companies with strong quantum strategies. Here are some of the best quantum computing stocks to watch in 2025—what they do, their recent performance, and why they may (or may not) be good investment opportunities. Data is drawn from recent analyst reports, stock-market tracking, and company disclosures.

Top Quantum Computing Stocks to Watch

Here are several stocks that frequently appear in reports about leading quantum companies:

Stock	Ticker	Who They Are & What They Focus On	Recent Highlights & Analyst Views
IonQ Inc.	IONQ	IonQ is a pure-play quantum computing company using trapped-ion technology. Their systems are accessible via cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, etc.).	In 2025, IonQ has delivered strong revenue contract wins (e.g. with U.S. government), achieved large stock gains—according to U.S. News its stock soared ~166% YTD, 377.8% in three months. Analyst consensus is Strong Buy in many reports.
Rigetti Computing Inc.	RGTI	Rigetti builds full-stack quantum systems (superconducting qubits), offers quantum computing services, and focuses on reducing error rates and scaling up qubit counts.	It has raised capital, showing rapid growth. Analysts see upside potential; stock has been volatile, rising sharply in certain periods.
D-Wave Quantum Inc.	QBTS	D-Wave uses quantum annealing rather than gate-based quantum computing. Their technology is more specialized for optimization problems.	Its commercial deployments are increasing. Some strong financial moves and investor interest noted; but as with many quantum plays, risk is high.
Quantum Computing Inc.	QUBT	QUBT focuses on photonic quantum solutions, including room-temperature quantum ideas, chip platforms, etc.	It has less stable revenue compared to larger players. Some reports highlight its rapid price appreciation—potentially speculative. Analyst ratings vary.
Microsoft Corporation	MSFT	Not a pure quantum company, but strongly invested in quantum computing via Azure Quantum, research in error-correction, new qubits (topological etc.), and integration into cloud infrastructure.	Analysts consider Microsoft among the more stable quantum-adjacent plays. While quantum is a smaller part of its overall business, its resources, scale, and steady revenue make it attractive.
Alphabet Inc. (Google)	GOOGL / GOOG	Google’s quantum AI labs (including processors like Sycamore, Willow etc.) and R&D in error correction. Alphabet has strong AI and quantum research credibility.	Often named among best quantum computing stocks because of its strong fundamentals, strong cash flows, and lower risk relative to small quantum startups.
IBM Corporation	IBM	Long history in quantum computing. Offers hardware, cloud access, quantum software tools (Qiskit), has roadmap toward fault-tolerant quantum systems.	Recently IBM announced its plans for a large-scale faulttolerant quantum supercomputer; its stocks have been responsive to these developments. For investors wanting steadier plays, IBM is often considered more reliable.

Why These Are Considered Among the Best Quantum Computing Stocks

From the data:

Pure-Play vs Big Tech: Pure quantum companies like IonQ, Rigetti, D-Wave, QUBT are closer to the edge—higher risk, higher potential reward. Big tech (MSFT, IBM, Alphabet) have diversified businesses, so quantum is only part of the story but adds value.
Strong Analyst Sentiment: Many pure-plays are receiving “Strong Buy” or bullish outlooks—often based on technological milestones, grant/contracts, partnerships, or raising capital.
Growth and Volatility: Stocks like IonQ have shown very large year-to-date gains, but also high volatility. Many are unprofitable currently but counting on future quantum commercialization to deliver returns.

Key Risks & Considerations

While the upside is significant, there are multiple risks to be aware of when evaluating the best quantum computing stocks:

Valuation Premiums: Many quantum stocks carry very high price-earnings or price-sales multiples compared to revenue. Some pure-plays are still losing money, so investor returns depend on future profitability.
Technology Uncertainty: Gate-based vs annealing vs photonic vs topological qubits—all are competing approaches. It’s not clear yet which will dominate or scale well.
Competition & Adoption: Big tech can invest heavily, which might outcompete smaller companies or acquire them. Also customer adoption is still early—quantum computing is not yet mainstream for many industries.
Regulation, Hardware Challenges, Error Correction: Quantum error rates, cooling/hardware requirements, stability are ongoing engineering challenges. Regulatory and security concerns (e.g. quantum encryption) may also affect market movements.

Potential Outlook for 2025 & Beyond

Quantum contracts, partnerships are increasingly important. E.g., IonQ has contracts with government labs, military, and biotech. That helps build revenue base.
Funding & financial strength matter. Companies with better cash reserves or backing (via investors, partnerships) are in better position to survive the “quantum cycle.”
Hybrid computing (classical + quantum) and cloud quantum services (like Microsoft’s Azure Quantum) may offer nearer-term revenue. The full commercial use of fault-tolerant quantum machines is likely still years away.

Best Quantum Computing Stocks: Which Ones Might Be “Best” for You?

Depending on risk tolerance:

Higher-risk, higher-reward: IonQ, Rigetti, D-Wave, QUBT
More stable, diversified exposure: Microsoft, IBM, Alphabet

If you believe quantum computing will see strong commercial breakthroughs (quantum advantage, error correction, wide adoption), then pure-plays might yield massive returns. But if you're more conservative, big tech offers exposure without putting all eggs in a risky basket.

Picking the best quantum computing stocks in 2025 means balancing innovation and risk. Pure quantum companies offer the promise of outsized growth—and equally, significant uncertainty. Big tech names bring balance: strong fundamentals, diversified revenue, and steady investment in quantum.

If forced to pick one, many analysts seem bullish on IonQ given its recent growth, partnerships, and technological progress. Microsoft and Alphabet are excellent complements for more risk-averse investors. IBM remains a stalwart, especially for long-term believers in quantum hardware.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always do your own research or consult with a financial advisor before making investment decisions.