The quantum revolution is happening now, bringing real-world impact to cybersecurity, drug discovery, logistics, artificial intelligence, and more. With governments and private investors pouring billions (with a “B”) into this next-gen computing space, forward-looking investors are scanning the markets for companies positioned to lead or benefit from this exponential leap. Every month we rank our Quantum 8: The Top Eight Must-Watch Quantum Computing Stocks, spanning small- and large-cap tickers, that offer a range of risk and reward for those looking to ride the quantum wave.

Rank #8 of 8. HON (Honeywell) – The Proxy Play for Quantinuum’s Future IPO

Ticker: HON
Market Cap: ~$140B
Rank Movement: New Entry

Honeywell is a stealthy but significant quantum player through its majority stake in Quantinuum, one of the most advanced private quantum companies. With a valuation estimated at $5 billion, Quantinuum is widely expected to go public when market conditions improve. Honeywell’s restructuring plan—splitting into three public companies by 2026—suggests Quantinuum may spin off as its own entity, offering early exposure via HON.

Rank Rationale: 

Honeywell ranks at number eight, not due to a lack of quantum relevance, but because its exposure is indirect and long-term. While Honeywell offers investors a stable, diversified industrial foundation, its quantum exposure is not yet a direct growth driver for its stock price. For this reason, it holds the 8th spot in the Quantum 8—but remains an important watchlist company for those tracking future quantum IPOs and corporate restructurings.

Rank #7 of 8 AMZN (Amazon) – The Infrastructure Giant with a Quantum Footprint

Ticker: AMZN
Market Cap: ~$2T
Rank Movement: ▼ Falls one spot

Amazon isn’t a pure-play quantum investment, but AWS Braket gives it an early presence in quantum cloud infrastructure. With its financial muscle and massive enterprise reach, Amazon is well-positioned to scale quickly when the time is right. For investors who want quantum exposure embedded in a broader portfolio, AMZN delivers.

Rank Rationale: 

Amazon earns the number seven spot because its quantum involvement, while meaningful, remains indirect and infrastructure-focused. The company has yet to make significant moves in developing proprietary quantum hardware, and recent momentum in this area has been relatively quiet. However, its cloud dominance, technical leadership, and scalable platform mean it could become a critical player in quantum delivery once the ecosystem matures. Amazon’s inclusion reflects its long-term optionality and strategic positioning rather than immediate quantum-specific gains.

6. GOOGL (Alphabet Inc.) – The Quantum Trailblazer with Willow

Ticker: GOOGL
Market Cap: ~$2T
Rank Movement: ▼ Falls two spots

Alphabet lit the spark for the modern quantum rally with its quantum supremacy announcement and the unveiling of Project Willow. While recent quarters haven’t brought major new quantum developments, GOOGL remains a long-term, low-risk gateway into the sector, backed by robust financials and a diversified innovation engine.

Rank Rationale: 

Although its early breakthroughs established credibility in the quantum space, its recent lack of visible progress places it behind more active or specialized players. That said, Alphabet’s deep R&D resources, technical talent, and AI leadership position it well to reassert dominance when the next wave of quantum milestones arrives. For investors, GOOGL offers quantum exposure with low volatility and strong fundamentals, making it a solid pick for those seeking stability over speculation.

5. LAES (SEALSQ Corp) – A Cybersecurity Quantum Wildcard

Ticker: LAES
Market Cap: ~$30M
Rank Movement: ▲ Climbs up

For investors seeking deep value and high upside potential, SEALSQ presents a compelling, albeit speculative, opportunity. While not purely a quantum computing company, its involvement in quantum-safe cryptography positions it at the forefront of a key emerging vertical in quantum cybersecurity. With recent acquisitions, expansion plans in the U.S., and a low share price, LAES is a low-cap bet on the future of digital infrastructure in a quantum world.

Rank Rationale: 

LAES earns the number five position as a high-risk, high-reward entry into the broader quantum ecosystem. Its focus on quantum-safe encryption and secure microchips taps into a growing need for cybersecurity solutions in a post-quantum world. While it lacks the deep R&D focus of pure-play quantum computing firms, its agility, recent strategic moves, and optionality across digital and decentralized systems give it unique upside potential. LAES represents an early-stage opportunity for investors willing to speculate on the intersection of security and quantum innovation.

4. RGTI (Rigetti Computing) – Underdog with Upgraded Target and New Partnerships

Ticker: RGTI
Market Cap: ~$120M
Rank Movement: ▲ Climbs up

Rigetti may call itself an R&D company, but recent moves show potential for something more. After completing an At-The-Market (ATM) financing round to strengthen its balance sheet, Rigetti announced a partnership with Quanta, hinting at real enterprise traction. Add in initiated analyst coverage and target upgrades from Cantor Fitzgerald, and Rigetti’s narrative is quickly shifting from speculative to promising.

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3. IBM (International Business Machines) – Big Blue’s Quantum Backbone

Ticker: IBM
Market Cap: ~$160B
Rank Movement: – Holds position

IBM continues to build on its long-running quantum roadmap, with its Qiskit platform and Eagle/Osprey quantum processors. While IBM’s quantum unit is still in the R&D phase, its institutional relationships and long-term view make it a trusted name in the space. Quantum-as-a-Service (QaaS) is expected to be a future revenue driver. Investors seeking stability with optionality should keep IBM on the radar.

Rank Rationale: 

IBM holds the number three spot as a pillar of credibility and consistency in the quantum landscape. Its commitment to an open-source ecosystem through Qiskit and steady advancements in quantum hardware signal a serious long-term investment. Though not as nimble as smaller startups, IBM’s deep enterprise relationships, strong balance sheet, and cloud infrastructure give it the foundation to scale quantum offerings when the market is ready. It’s an ideal choice for investors who want measured exposure to quantum computing within a globally diversified tech giant.

2. QBTS (D-Wave Quantum) – Still a Core Pure-Play, But Momentum Slows

Ticker: QBTS
Market Cap: ~$150M
Rank Movement: ▼ Drops to #2

D-Wave, a pioneer in quantum annealing, remains a core holding for speculative investors in the space. However, recent quiet periods and a lack of major catalysts heading into late 2024 and early 2025 have slightly tempered enthusiasm. That said, with unique hardware and enterprise use cases already in deployment, D-Wave remains an intriguing long-term pick.

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1. IONQ (IonQ) – Small Cap Leader with Big Momentum

Ticker: IONQ
Market Cap: ~$1.5B
Rank Movement: ▲ Jumps to #1

IonQ surges to the top spot thanks to its strategic acquisitions of Oxford Ionics and Lightsync—moves that significantly broaden its technological edge. These developments were met with bullish investor sentiment and marked a key shift in IonQ’s timeline, as leadership signaled an acceleration toward commercial-scale quantum advantage. Now, IonQ has landed what could be a defining moment for the entire quantum computing space: a $1 billion raise from Heights Capital Management, the growth investing arm of Susquehanna International Group.

“IonQ is well-capitalized with a strong cash position and has been rapidly expanding our ecosystem as we execute against our global quantum computing and networking strategy. We believe this is the largest common-stock single-institutional investment in the history of the quantum industry.”

-Niccolò de Masi, President and CEO of IonQ

As one of the few publicly traded pure-play quantum firms, IonQ offers asymmetric upside for those willing to take a bet on the future.

Rank Rationale: 

IonQ claims the number one position by combining aggressive strategic expansion with historic capital backing. Its recent $1 billion funding round provides an unprecedented financial runway, validating its technology, acquisitions, and talent density. This significant capital infusion not only strengthens IonQ’s balance sheet but also accelerates its timeline to achieving commercial-scale quantum advantage. For investors, IonQ represents a rare opportunity for asymmetric upside in a still-nascent industry, making it a compelling choice for those aiming to capitalize on the quantum revolution’s potential.

Final Thoughts

The Quantum 8 offers a strategic blend of speculative small-caps and stable large-caps, allowing investors to tailor exposure based on both conviction and risk tolerance. As quantum computing moves from theoretical to commercial over the next decade, the companies on this list may be at the forefront of exponential ROI. Unlocking the full potential of this technological frontier will require careful timing, thoughtful diversification, and a commitment to ongoing research. For those bold enough to ride its turbulence and trust in its potential, the quantum revolution may shape the future more profoundly than we can yet imagine.