Trump Signs Executive Order to Accelerate Quantum Computer R&D, Quantum Stocks Gain Attention, Which Quantum Computing Stocks Are Worth Buying?

TradingKey - On June 22, Eastern Time, U.S. President Donald Trump signed two executive orders at the White House, officially launching the U.S. Quantum Computing Industry Acceleration Strategy, injecting strong momentum into the development of this frontier field and rapidly igniting capital market enthusiasm for quantum technology concept stocks.

The core objective of this landmark policy initiative is to ensure the U.S. maintains its strategic leadership in global quantum technology competition and to build an end-to-end domestic quantum ecosystem. In the executive orders, Trump announced that the National Quantum Strategy would be updated, strengthening the foundation of America's quantum industry across multiple dimensions—including supply chain security, R&D, and talent cultivation—while deepening cooperation mechanisms with allies in the quantum field.

So, in this White House-led technology push, which quantum computing stocks should be on our radar? Next, we will break down the underlying investment logic and key stock targets.

Golden Window for Policy: What Signals Does Trump’s "Quantum Executive Order" Send?

This policy not only injects strong momentum into the quantum computing sector, but also clearly signals the strategic resolve of the United States to seize the commanding heights in the global quantum technology competition.

The Trump administration has adopted a multi-dimensional acceleration strategy for the development of quantum technology. First, it significantly compresses the timeline for technology deployment, explicitly proposing the deployment of quantum computers with practical scientific research value by 2028, while simultaneously pushing forward the deployment of quantum sensors and quantum networks to quickly achieve breakthroughs in critical areas.

Second, it strengthens domestic supply chain development, requiring interagency collaboration among departments like Commerce and Energy to build a highly resilient domestic quantum hardware supply chain, while expanding financial support for local quantum enterprises. Previously, the Department of Commerce announced an approximately $2 billion direct investment plan, providing solid financial backing for the industry's development.

The executive order, however, sets forth more urgent requirements, accelerating the timeline for migrating high-value government asset systems to post-quantum cryptography from the original 2035 target to 2030-2031. This adjustment not only reflects the high level of vigilance in the U.S. toward cybersecurity risks in the quantum era, but will also directly catalyze massive market demand for security protection, driving the rapid development and application of related technologies.

Overall, the rollout of these policies and the commitment of resources will accelerate the transition of quantum technology from laboratories to industrial applications, while also profoundly shaping the competitive landscape of global quantum technology.

The Investment Thesis for Quantum Computing Concept Stocks: Why Quantum Computing is Crucial?

The immense transformative potential of quantum computing stems from its underlying technical architecture, which is fundamentally different from that of traditional computers. While mainstream classical computers currently use binary bits to process information—where each bit can only exist in one of two states, 0 or 1—quantum computers leverage the principles of quantum superposition and entanglement. This enables the parallel processing of multiple states, theoretically allowing them to demonstrate computational power that far surpasses classical computers on specific problems.

The applications of quantum computing span nearly every frontier of science and technology. In drug discovery, quantum computers can simulate molecular interactions to accelerate the development of new therapeutics, offering novel solutions to combat major diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's. In finance, quantum computing can optimize complex portfolio models, enhance risk-forecasting capabilities, and enable more precise market trend analysis. Within materials science, it can design novel materials with specific properties, driving technological breakthroughs in clean energy and aerospace. Meanwhile, in cybersecurity, quantum computing has the potential to both crack mainstream encryption algorithms and foster new security technologies, such as quantum-encrypted communications.

In recent years, the global quantum computing industry has been transitioning from a scientific narrative to a capital-driven boom. Prompted by ongoing technological breakthroughs and sustained funding, valuations of quantum computing companies have soared, riding the wave of enthusiasm for artificial intelligence as investors bet on the next potential technological breakthrough.

Which quantum computing stocks are worth watching?

At a critical juncture where quantum computing technology is transitioning from labs to commercial applications, pure-play quantum computing stocks have become a focal point for high-risk, high-reward investors due to their high volatility and high-growth potential. As governments globally accelerate their strategic initiatives in quantum technology, these companies dedicated to quantum R&D and commercialization are poised for unprecedented growth opportunities.

• IonQ ( IONQ )

IonQ is a standout player in the quantum computing sector. Utilizing a trapped-ion technical path, its qubits are based on natural ions, which offer inherent advantages such as a 100% manufacturing yield, strong charge controllability, and the industry's longest coherence times—laying a solid foundation for high-precision computing.

The company's quantum computing systems have been successfully integrated commercially into three major cloud platforms—Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. Boasting high technical maturity, the company also holds a substantial portfolio of government and commercial research contracts.

IonQ's Forte system features 36 fully connected algorithmic qubits, delivering industry-leading performance. The company's stock has surged 810% over the past year, reflecting strong market confidence in its technological leadership and commercial potential, cementing its position as a bellwether among pure-play quantum stocks.

According to its latest earnings report, IonQ's first-quarter revenue surged 755% year-over-year, while its remaining performance obligations (RPO) jumped 554% to $470 million, demonstrating robust growth momentum.

• IBM ( IBM )

As a pioneer in quantum computing, IBM possesses the industry's most comprehensive quantum technology footprint. From hardware R&D and software platforms to cloud-based applications, IBM has built a complete quantum ecosystem.

IBM boasts the industry's largest fleet of quantum computing hardware, with over 90 systems deployed—more than all other industry players combined. The company has made over 2,300 qubits publicly accessible, achieving system availability of 97%, and has pledged to invest over $10 billion in quantum computing over the next five years. Its roadmap to launch a large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2030 closely aligns with national strategic goals, and CEO Arvind Krishna's personal attendance at the executive order signing ceremony underscores the company's pivotal role in the industry.

• Rigetti Computing ( RGTI )

Rigetti Computing specializes in the development of superconducting quantum processors, focusing on high-performance hybrid quantum-classical computing. The company has introduced Cepheus-1-108Q, the industry's largest modular quantum system, which is fully accessible via the AWS and Azure cloud platforms.

Rigetti utilizes a chiplet architecture and its proprietary adiabatic CZ gate scheme to achieve two-qubit gate fidelities of 99.8% or even 99.9%, demonstrating robust technological capabilities.

On the financial front, Rigetti ended the first quarter with $569 million in cash reserves and zero interest-bearing debt. At its current burn rate, this capital is sufficient to fund four to five years of pure R&D, providing an ample margin of safety for executing its technology roadmap.

While its stock price has soared 127.4% over the past year, its valuation remains difficult to justify under current fundamentals given its limited commercial applications and heavy losses. Investors should closely monitor the company's technical breakthroughs and commercial progress to assess its long-term investment value.

• D-Wave Quantum ( QBTS )

D-Wave Quantum is the world's first company to sell commercial quantum computers. It specializes in quantum annealing, which is particularly well-suited for solving complex logistics, finance, and portfolio optimization problems. Boasting the fastest commercial deployment in the industry, its technology has been successfully applied to logistics scheduling and drug discovery.

Boosted by recent policy tailwinds—specifically, the U.S. Department of Commerce's announcement of an estimated $2 billion equity investment in nine quantum computing companies—D-Wave Quantum's stock rebounded, further highlighting its leading position in the commercial application of quantum computing.

However, quantum annealing focuses strictly on optimization problems, providing near-optimal solutions rather than perfect mathematically absolute answers, which limits its scope of application. Gate-based quantum computing remains the more universal approach, capable of addressing a much broader spectrum of computational problems.

While D-Wave's recent acquisition of Quantum Circuits represents an effort to add gate-based quantum computing capabilities to its existing quantum annealing systems, whether the company can successfully compete in this fiercely contested market remains highly uncertain.

What risks should be considered when investing in the quantum computing industry?

Although the quantum computing industry is regarded as a core pillar of the future technological revolution with immense development potential, investors must fully recognize the risks and challenges when positioning themselves in this sector. Currently, quantum computing technology remains in its early stages of development, characterized by high technical difficulty and prohibitive costs, while large-scale commercial application still faces significant uncertainties.

The stability and error-correction technology of quantum computing systems still need improvement, with qubit coherence times and error rates remaining key bottlenecks limiting technical advancement. Although some companies have announced systems with thousands or even tens of thousands of qubits, most of these so-called 'qubits' are physical qubits rather than logical qubits with error-correction capabilities.

Although current mainstream Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) devices have crossed the thousand-qubit threshold, they struggle to execute deep circuits due to coherence time constraints, leaving actual computing power far below theoretical expectations. Breakthroughs in quantum error-correction (QEC) technology are essential for advancing toward fault-tolerant quantum computing, and validating the lifetime of logical qubits in error-correction schemes like surface codes will be one of the most critical technical milestones in the near term.

On the commercial front, the scale application of quantum computing still faces numerous hurdles. Although quantum computing has shown great potential in fields like drug discovery and materials science, most applications are currently in the laboratory verification phase, with a long road ahead before achieving genuine commercial viability.

According to market research forecasts, commercial-scale applications of quantum computing in sectors like finance and pharmaceuticals may not materialize until after 2030. Furthermore, the manufacturing cost of quantum computing hardware is extremely high—a practically useful quantum computer could cost upwards of $100 million, which undoubtedly slows its rate of adoption.

For investors, positioning in quantum computing stocks requires a cautious approach. When selecting investment targets, investors are advised to thoroughly assess a company's technical roadmap, growth prospects, and valuation, while remaining mindful of risk management. Particular focus should be placed on companies that possess proprietary R&D capabilities in core technical fields like quantum error correction and quantum algorithms, alongside a clear path to commercialization.

Additionally, investors are encouraged to adopt a long-term investment strategy, diversifying across quantum computing companies utilizing different technical roadmaps to mitigate single-company or single-technology risks. Furthermore, given that the quantum computing industry is still in its infancy, investors might also consider gaining indirect exposure to the sector through quantum computing-related ETFs.

Conclusion: Future Outlook for the Quantum Computing Industry

The executive order signed by Trump has injected fresh momentum into the quantum computing industry, accelerating the R&D and commercial application of quantum technology. As AI technology evolves, quantum computing is expected to integrate with artificial intelligence, driving breakthroughs in scientific research and industrial innovation.

Although quantum computing technology remains in its early stages, continuous technological progress and sustained capital inflows point to broad prospects for the industry. Investors can focus on investment opportunities in quantum computing-related stocks, particularly those with technological advantages, government backing, and commercialization progress.

Looking ahead, quantum computing is poised to become a vital force driving economic growth and technological progress, bringing revolutionary changes to society. Investors should maintain a close watch on the quantum computing sector to seize the historic opportunities of the industry's development.