Key Points

• IonQ, Rigetti Computing, D-Wave Quantum, and Quantum Computing have reached valuation levels well beyond those seen during prior stock market bubbles.

• Each of these companies has recently raised capital through a series of equity offerings and stock issuances.

• These moves could suggest that the valuation levels for these businesses are not only abnormally high, but unsustainable.

• These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires ›

Last summer, companies such as IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI), D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS), and Quantum Computing (NASDAQ: QUBT) were unknown penny stocks.

However, as quantum computing steadily made its way toward center stage in the artificial intelligence (AI) realm, each of these companies witnessed meteoric rises in their share prices. Over the last 12 months, IonQ stock has blasted higher by 517%, while Rigetti, D-Wave, and Quantum Computing have experienced surges of at least 1,500% as of this writing (July 21).

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With valuations reaching historically high levels, could investors be on the verge of witnessing a quantum computing bubble bursting?

Is quantum computing in a bubble?

The chart below illustrates valuation trends among popular quantum computing stocks on a price-to-sales (P/S) basis.

IONQ PS Ratio data by YCharts.

As I outlined in a prior article, the quantum computing stocks above are trading at far higher P/S multiples compared to levels seen during the dot-com and COVID-19 stock bubbles.

For example, during the internet boom in the late 1990s, stocks such as Amazon, Cisco, and Microsoft experienced peak P/S ratios in the range of 30x and 40x. Taking this a step further, popular COVID stocks such as Zoom Communications and Peloton saw P/S multiples top out at 124x and 20x, respectively.

The big theme here is that IonQ, Rigetti, D-Wave, and Quantum Computing are each trading for valuation multiples that could be seen as historically high, even when compared to prior bubble events.

With that said, other AI companies that are also exploring quantum computing -- such as Nvidia, Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft -- currently trade for much more reasonable valuation multiples when compared to the companies in the chart above.

For this reason, I do not think the entire quantum computing landscape is at risk of experiencing a bubble-bursting event. However, IonQ and its peers have been dropping some breadcrumbs in recent months that lead me to think the smaller quantum computing players could be on the verge of a harsh sell-off.

What's going on under the hood with quantum computing stocks?

After some digging into certain filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), I think IonQ, Rigetti, D-Wave, and Quantum Computing may be trying to signal some important things to investors:

• In February, IonQ announced that it planned to raise up to $500 million through a series of stock issuances. The company doubled down on its capital-raising ambitions more recently, offering 14,165,708 shares at a price of $55.49 -- raising nearly $1 billion in the process.
• In June, Rigetti raised $350 million in capital after completing an at-the-market (ATM) equity offering.
• Between June 11 and June 27, D-Wave Quantum raised $400 million through an ATM offering. Of note: This followed a prior raise of $150 million that occurred in January.
• In late June, Quantum Computing raised $200 million following the issuance of 14 million shares at an average price of $14.25.

What's really going on here? With each of these quantum computing stocks trading near all-time highs, it appears to me that management is looking to take advantage of frothy market conditions.

IONQ data by YCharts.

Quantum computing is a research-heavy, capital-intensive industry. Management at IonQ and its peers surely understand this, and so I see these capital raises as a calculated move to capitalize on inflated, overstretched valuations.

Should you invest in quantum computing stocks?

To me, any hint of a bubble surrounding IonQ and its smaller peers may already be in the process of bursting. Under the surface, the various stock issuances and equity offerings annotated above could suggest that management does not believe current price levels are sustainable.

By using the dot-com and COVID bubbles as benchmarks, history would suggest that a major correction could be on the horizon for these small quantum computing stocks. Issuing stock to raise funds is not sustainable in the long run. Furthermore, consistently diluting shareholders through these offerings could call into question how these companies are allocating capital.

In my eyes, if investors are seeking exposure to the quantum computing industry, they are best off exploring more diversified opportunities in big tech as opposed to the smaller, more speculative players analyzed in this piece.

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Key Points

• Quantum computing stocks have been on a tear this year, despite the technology's nascent scale and still speculative nature.

• Unlike the broader artificial intelligence (AI) theme, many popular quantum computing stocks are small companies with limited traction.

• While it can be tempting to follow the momentum, several quantum computing stocks boast valuation multiples that echo those seen during prior stock market bubbles.

• 10 stocks we like better than IonQ ›

This year has been tough for investors, particularly those who flock toward growth stocks. Just about every major industry has been impacted in some form or fashion by President Donald Trump's new tariff policies.

While the broader implications of these import taxes are still unfolding, one sector that has faced abnormally large headwinds is technology. For the first time in nearly three years, investing in the artificial intelligence (AI) market hasn't necessarily resulted in outsized gains.

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Nevertheless, one pocket of the AI realm that has managed to circumvent the panic-selling this year is quantum computing. As of this writing (July 17), the Defiance Quantum ETF has gained 17% so far this year -- roughly double the returns seen in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite.

With quantum computing stocks trouncing the broader market, now may be an appropriate time to assess valuations in the sector and compare them to prior periods of heightened enthusiasm.

What is a stock market bubble, and what are some examples?

One of the most basic mistakes investors make is assessing a company's valuation based on its stock price. In other words, if the stock price is low, an investor might mistakenly view the company as "cheap" (and vice versa).

Smart investors understand that there are far more parameters than the share price that help determine a company's valuation. Underlying financial metrics, such as revenue, gross margins, profitability, free cash flow, cash, and debt, should all play a factor in assessing the health of a business.

From there, more sophisticated analysis requires investors to benchmark these figures and their growth rates against a set of peers to get a better sense of how the business in question compares to the broader competitive landscape.

Many investors do not take the time to perform the due diligence exercise above and instead choose to follow broader momentum. Unfortunately, this can lead to abnormally inflated stock prices -- those that are incongruent with the underlying fundamentals of the business.

Generally speaking, reality begins to set in and these companies are unable to sustain their overstretched valuations, eventually leading to harsh, dramatic sell-offs. This phenomenon is known as a stock market bubble.

In the charts below, I've illustrated some valuation trends across two notable stock market bubbles.

AMZN PS Ratio data by YCharts. PS Ratio = price-to-sales ratio.

The chart above illustrates the price-to-sales (P/S) ratios for a number of high-flying internet stocks during the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s. As the trends above make clear, each of the companies in the peer set above trades at much more normalized valuation multiples today when compared to their peaks during the internet boom.

ZM PS Ratio data by YCharts. PS Ratio = price-to-sales ratio.

Investors witnessed a similar theme in overstretched valuations during the peak days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies such as Zoom Communications, Wayfair, and Peloton witnessed abnormal demand for their respective product offerings as remote work became the norm.

As the trends seen above demonstrate, however, these growth tailwinds were not permanent. Today, none of these COVID stocks are seen as compelling growth opportunities, and their cratering valuations are a sobering reminder of the aftermath of bubbles bursting.

How do quantum computing stocks compare to the valuations above?

Over the last year, IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI), D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS), and Quantum Computing (NASDAQ: QUBT) have emerged as popular names fueling the quantum computing movement.

IONQ PS Ratio data by YCharts. PS Ratio = price-to-sales ratio.

With a P/S multiple of over 5,700, the tiny Quantum Computing business is the clear outlier in the quantum computing cohort illustrated above. Even so, Rigetti, IonQ, and D-Wave each boast P/S ratios that are either considerably higher or in line with the darlings of the dot-com and COVID bubbles.

Are we in a quantum computing stock bubble?

The quantum computing stocks referenced above are highly speculative -- arguably even more so than the highfliers during the internet era. Unlike then, today's technology behemoths, such as Amazon, Microsoft, eBay, and Cisco, have evolved into sophisticated platform businesses with diversified ecosystems.

This provides them with the scale and financial flexibility to explore emerging fields such as quantum computing. Smaller players, such as IonQ, Rigetti, D-Wave, and Quantum Computing, currently face intense competition from big tech -- something the dot-com businesses did not.

Given the valuation analyses explored above, many popular quantum computing stocks are clearly trading at abnormally high and historically unsustainable valuation levels. For these reasons, I think companies such as IonQ, Rigetti, D-Wave, and Quantum Computing have entered bubble territory.

With that said, many big tech companies in the "Magnificent Seven" are exploring quantum applications as well. Many of these companies trade for much more reasonable valuations. While I am not convinced the broader quantum computing opportunity is necessarily in a bubble, I believe investors need to be cautious and thoughtful when selecting which quantum computing stocks to invest in.

And the best choices will rarely be high-flying specialists with big dreams and small revenue streams.

Should you invest $1,000 in IonQ right now?

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Key Points

• D-Wave Quantum and other quantum-computing stocks saw big gains Thursday even though there wasn't much business-specific news.

• Bullish momentum for the broader market helped push the stock higher, and news that Denmark wants to host the world's most powerful quantum computer boosted valuations in the category.

• D-Wave Quantum is a risky, highly speculative stock, but it could have a space in the portfolios of growth-focused investors.

• 10 stocks we like better than D-Wave Quantum ›

D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) stock recorded another day of explosive gains in Thursday's trading. The quantum-computing company's share price climbed 13.7% in the daily session amid the backdrop of a 0.5% gain for the S&P 500 and a 0.7% gain for the Nasdaq Composite. The stock had been up as much as 15.5% earlier in trading.

D-Wave Quantum stock continued to surge higher despite little in the way of business-specific news for the company. News that Denmark has aspirations to host the world's most powerful quantum computer pointed to the potential for a big increase in state-level support for the industry, but it was otherwise a relatively slow news day for quantum stocks. That didn't stop companies in the space from seeing big valuation gains, and expectations that the Federal Reserve will issue multiple interest rate cuts helped support share price expansions.

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Is D-Wave Quantum stock a buy right now?

Charting the progression of the quantum computing space involves an incredibly high degree of guesswork. Even if it's taken as a baseline assumption that the tech category will continue to see major breakthroughs that pave the way for much wider commercial adoption, determining which companies in the space will wind up being winners involves a huge amount of speculation.

D-Wave is staking a specialized, forefront position in the category and could go on to see massive valuation gains if its quantum-computing machines deliver on their promise and prove to have substantial real-world applications. The company launched its Advantage2 system in May, and its next quarterly report should provide some insight into what demand looks like for the machines. While D-Wave stock looks risky on the heels of its recent valuation run up, it could be a worthwhile portfolio addition for investors who are making exposure to the quantum computing space a key strategic priority.

Should you invest $1,000 in D-Wave Quantum right now?

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Key Points

• D-Wave has taken its investors on a wild ride since its public debut.

• A lot of growth has already been baked into its bubbly valuations.

• It will remain a volatile and speculative stock for the foreseeable future.

D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS), an early mover in the quantum computing market, went public by merging with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) on Aug. 22, 2022. It started trading at $10, but it sank to a record low of $0.41 on May 12, 2023. At the time, its persistent dilution, steep losses, and sky-high valuation all drove away its investors. Rising interest rates and threats of a potential delisting made its volatile stock even less appealing.

But as of this writing, D-Wave's stock trades at about $14. If you had invested $1,000 in the stock at its all-time low, your investment would be worth more than $34,000. The bulls rushed back as interest rates declined, the quantum computing market heated up again, and it rolled out a powerful new processor. But is it still worth buying today?

What does D-Wave Quantum do?

In traditional binary computers, processors store their data in zeros and ones. But in quantum computers, zeros and ones can be stored simultaneously in qubits. That difference allows quantum computers to process a wider range of data at a much faster rate than binary ones.

Yet quantum computers are still bigger, more expensive, and prone to make more mistakes than their binary counterparts. That's why they're still mainly used for niche research projects at government agencies and universities instead of mainstream computing applications.

D-Wave Quantum is trying to break out of its niche with its quantum annealing tools, which help companies streamline their schedules, workflows, supply chains, and logistics networks. As a quantum-powered "efficiency expert," D-Wave runs a company's processes through different scenarios and identifies the one that consumes the least energy as the most efficient one.

That approach could help D-Wave challenge traditional cloud-based analytics companies, and over 100 organizations -- including Deloitte, Mastercard, Lockheed Martin, and Accenture -- are already using its services. D-Wave designs its own chips and hardware, and it provides its own cloud-based services through its Leap platform -- which can be integrated into the world's top cloud infrastructure platforms.

What are D-Wave's near-term catalysts?

In 2024, D-Wave only generated $8.8 million in revenue, most of which came from its cloud-based quantum computing services, as it racked up a net loss of $143.9 million.

But in 2025, analysts expect its revenue to nearly triple to $24.4 million as it narrows its net loss to $72.9 million. That growth should be driven by its new 4,400-qubit Advantage2 processor, which can solve complex 3D lattice problems approximately 25,000 times faster while consuming less power than its first-gen Advantage processor. It officially launched the Advantage2 quantum system for its Leap cloud platform in May.

Meanwhile, its new LaunchPad platform for Leap -- which offers free trials, support, and rapid pilot-to-production tools for enterprise R&D customers -- could lock in new customers and boost its recurring subscription-based revenues. It also plans to add more quantum AI tools (including a more powerful neural network and tighter integrations with data center GPUs) to tackle more AI and machine learning workloads. Those upgrades could attract the attention of more enterprise customers, tether it to the booming AI market, and elevate D-Wave's reputation as the quantum computing play for more practical business applications.

If those efforts bear fruit, analysts expect its revenue to surge 56% to $38.1 million in 2026 and nearly double to $74.1 million in 2027. They also expect it to narrow its losses in both years, but it won't come close to breaking even anytime soon.

What are D-Wave's biggest challenges?

That growth trajectory would be impressive, but it's already priced for perfection at 60 times its projected sales for 2027. It has also increased its number of shares by 184% since it closed its SPAC merger, mainly due to its secondary offerings and stock-based compensation costs, and that dilution will continue as long as it keeps burning cash.

D-Wave is carving out a niche in the nascent quantum computing market, but it still faces plenty of competition from "universal" gate-based processors from companies like IBM, Alphabet's Google, Rigetti, and IonQ -- all of which aim to solve a broader range of problems than quantum annealing. If D-Wave struggles to keep pace with those challengers, its business could eventually collapse.

Lastly, D-Wave's insiders were also net sellers over the past year. Over the past three months, they sold more than three times as many shares as they bought. That chilly insider sentiment suggests that too much growth might be baked into its current valuations.

Is it the right time to buy D-Wave?

D-Wave looks expensive relative to its near-term growth, but it's tough to tell how much the quantum computing market could expand over the next few decades. It might be worth nibbling on as a speculative play on the long-term growth of the quantum computing market, but I wouldn't go all-in on the stock at these levels.

Should you invest $1,000 in D-Wave Quantum right now?

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Since last Friday, shares of D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) fell nearly 15% as of the market close on Thursday. The stock also traded lower on Friday. While the quantum computing sector experienced some good news this week, D-Wave also announced an at-the-market (ATM) stock offering to potentially raise new capital.

A potentially dilutive event

D-Wave's ATM offering is with several brokerages and investment banks and will allow the company from time to time to conduct the "issuance and sale" of common stock for up to $400 million. The word issuance indicates that new shares could be offered to raise capital, which would be dilutive to existing shareholders.

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In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission( SEC), D-Wave also said that cash balances on hand as of March 31 are enough "to fund the company to profitability." D-Wave plans to use any potential proceeds for general corporate purposes, including funding capital expenditures (capex), acquiring new companies, or expanding the business, as well as for general working capital purposes.

The news is disappointing because it comes during a week when Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang praised quantum computing. "We are within reach of being able to apply quantum computing in areas that can solve some interesting problems in the coming years," he said. Few CEOs can move the market, but Huang is one of them, being one of the most influential people in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector. Other quantum computing stocks jumped this week.

What a run it's been

Shareholders never like to see dilutive capital raises, but with D-Wave trading at an extremely high valuation, this is often when management will try and bring in additional capital to fund growth. Either way, it's been an incredible run. D-Wave's stock is up 1,268% over the last year and currently trades at 191 times forward sales.

While D-Wave appears to be making real progress toward eventually mass producing quantum computers, it's very difficult to buy stocks at these kinds of meteoric valuations. I wouldn't recommend anything more than a small, speculative position at this time.

Should you invest $1,000 in D-Wave Quantum right now?

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If everyone only invested in what they fully understood, I suspect quite a few stocks wouldn't exist today. We can probably put quantum computing stocks in that category. The quantum physics used by companies pioneering quantum computing can make your head spin.

Fortunately for many investors, quantum computing stocks do exist. Two of them have been especially big winners -- D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) and IonQ (NYSE: IONQ). D-Wave Quantum has delivered the more impressive performance over the last 12 months. Is it a better quantum computing stock than IonQ?

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The case for D-Wave Quantum

Despite the market turbulence experienced in 2025, D-Wave Quantum has generated a staggering return of nearly 1,200% over the last 12 months. Even with this tremendous gain, though, the company's market cap remains below $5 billion.

D-Wave's financial performance has been impressive, too. The company's revenue soared 509% year over year in the first quarter of 2025. Its cash position totaled $304.3 million at the end of Q1. D-Wave's management believes that's enough to fund operations until the company achieves profitability.

The huge stock gains and strong revenue growth are the result of increasing interest in D-Wave's technology. The company boasts the world's largest quantum computer. D-Wave recently introduced its most advanced system to date, its sixth-generation Advantage2 quantum computer. CEO Alan Baratz said this new system is "so powerful that it can solve hard problems outside the reach of one of the world's largest exascale GPU-based classical supercomputers."

D-Wave has completed more than 20 proof-of-concept engagements over the last 18 months. Its customer base includes Deloitte, Fort Otosan (a Turkey-based automaker owned by Ford and Koç Holding), Lockheed Martin, and Japan Tobacco).

The case for IonQ

IonQ hasn't delivered the kind of gains that D-Wave has over the last 12 months, but it's nonetheless been sizzling hot. The quantum computing pioneer's stock is up roughly 380%. Thanks to this great return, IonQ's market cap now tops $9 billion.

At first glance, you might wonder about IonQ's growth. The company's revenue dipped slightly year over year in Q1. However, IonQ's revenue has increased by a compound annual growth rate of 170% since 2021. The company expects that 2025 revenue will nearly double year over year based on the midpoint of its guidance range.

IonQ believes that its ion trap architecture gives it distinct competitive advantages. Its quantum computers can operate at room temperature instead of requiring cooling to zero degrees Kelvin. The company thinks its error correction process is superior to rivals. IonQ also maintains that its architecture is more modular and scalable than the competition.

All three of the largest cloud platforms offer IonQ's quantum hardware, a claim no other quantum computing company can make. IonQ has a growing customer base that includes big companies such as Ansys, AstraZeneca, and Toyota Tsusho.

Better quantum computing stock?

Both D-Wave Quantum and IonQ could have tremendous growth potential. Quantum computing could transform many areas, including drug discovery, logistics, and materials science. Consulting firm McKinsey & Co. estimates that quantum computing and networking could create up to $880 billion in economic value by 2040.

However, these two companies also face significant risks. Neither D-Wave nor IonQ is profitable yet. Although their respective technological approaches show promise, the competition is intense, with some rivals possessing much greater financial resources.

If I had to pick one of these quantum computing stocks right now, I'd go with IonQ. It's generating more revenue than D-Wave. Its intellectual property portfolio is larger, with 950 patents related to quantum computing and networking that should soon be under the company's control.

I also like IonQ's business development strategy. Recent acquisitions of ID Quantique and Lightsynq position IonQ well in the quantum networking space.

Investing in IonQ isn't for everyone because of the inherent risks with a small company in a fledgling market. However, I think aggressive investors could see market-beating returns from this stock over the long run.

Should you invest $1,000 in IonQ right now?

Before you buy stock in IonQ, consider this:

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Not for the first time in their relatively brief existences, quantum computing stocks shot well higher in value on Thursday. That wasn't due to any fresh innovation, discovery, or major business move. Rather, it seemed to have more to do with some grand pronouncements by a single quantum company executive.

Nevertheless, as a writer, I can confirm that words have power, and these were powerful enough to lift the sector as a whole. Industry standard-bearers Quantum Computing (NASDAQ: QUBT), Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI), and D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) all saw their share prices inflate at double-digit rates. The stocks rose a respective 15%, 24%, and 26% on the day.

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The king of quantum?

Those market-moving words came from the leader of one of their peers, IonQ (NYSE: IONQ). That morning, Barron's published an interview with the company's CEO, Niccolo de Masi, in which he waxed extremely bullish about the prospects for his business. This was clearly taken by the article's readers as likely prosperity for the wider quantum space.

De Masi is clearly not the shy and publicity-adverse type of corporate leader, as he made a series of grand pronouncements about IonQ.

In his eyes, the company is the quantum sector equivalent of graphics processing unit (GPU) king Nvidia or advanced processor specialist Broadcom. As such, IonQ's ultimate prominence and power will be imitated by businesses hoping to catch some of its magic.

In fact, added the executive, "they have always copied and followed us."

That isn't really accurate, as the varied quantum companies currently traded on the stock market are following different paths to hoped-for success. In IonQ's case, it's a "full-stack" business, aiming to provide hardware, the software that runs on it, and applications for control and access.

In a way, though, Quantum Computing, Rigetti, and D-Wave are followers. IonQ was among the first pure-play quantum companies to become publicly traded. That pedigree is a factor that has helped drive its market cap to over $11 billion at present. That dwarfs its three peers, as the most richly capitalized of the trio -- D-Wave -- is currently valued by investors at under $5.6 billion.

Rivers of red ink

Nevertheless, investors should always be wary of hype, especially when applied to an early-stage industry struggling to get on its financial feet -- like quantum.

While the technology has indisputably immense potential, getting a quantum business to the point where it's efficient and profitable is quite the challenge. None of the prominent quantum companies -- yes, including IonQ -- has yet to stem their often very deep net losses.

There are potentially significant catalysts on the horizon. One that could change the landscape dramatically is Congress's National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act.

As the name implies, this would restart a federal program aimed at boosting quantum, with public funding for businesses actively involved in such work. Capital for cash-hungry companies on the cutting-edge of new technologies is almost always scarce; passing the act into law would alleviate that nagging and persistent headache.

I have to emphasize here that such industry-boosting factors are only potential at this point, not reality. And that goes double for any talk of a single quantum company or a clutch of them becoming the new Nvidia or Broadcom.

Both of these successful enterprises are the products of years of patient business development and often heavy research and development expenditure. Neither blasted into the world suddenly as cash-gushing winners.

Spread the wealth

At this point, it's hard to place bets on which quantum company, or companies, will pull ahead with offerings irresistible to customers thirsty for exponential increases in computing power.

Given that, it's probably a good move for quantum bulls to spread out their investments among the leading stocks in the space. I feel all of the aforementioned titles can potentially leverage the technology into robust profits eventually -- and yes, that includes IonQ, all hype and hot air aside.

Should you invest $1,000 in Quantum Computing right now?

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Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Since last Friday, shares of D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) have rocketed nearly 52%, as of 12:17 p.m. ET Thursday. Earlier this week, the company announced general availability of its sixth-generation Advantage2 quantum computing system.

High praise for D-Wave's latest system

Several companies have been working to bring quantum computing to the masses. Quantum computing, or super computers, use quantum mechanics to solve complex equations and problems much faster than a typical computer, and even surpass the skills of experts.

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D-Wave CEO Dr. Alan Baratz called the company's new computer "... a system so powerful that it can solve hard problems outside the reach of one of the world's largest exascale GPU-based classical supercomputers." The new system is now available in 40 countries.

In a report on quantum computers, analysts at JPMorgan Chase praised the company's progress and technological innovation.

"Their newly announced Advantage2 prototype features over 1,200 qubits with 20-way connectivity, with a goal to reach 7,000 qubits in the full Advantage2 system," the report said. "This prototype claims significant speedups over classical supercomputers."

A qubit is the basic unit of data used in quantum computing. Regular computes only leverage bits, or the smallest unit of data that is used to build the foundations of a regular computer.

The best of the bunch?

Quantum computing is a tough industry for retail investors to wrap their heads around. But unlike many of its peers in the sector, D-Wave's technology appears ready to hit the ground running, and its super computers are already in use.

In its first-quarter earnings release, the company also announced a smaller loss than one year prior, and significant revenue growth, so there seems to be something there. Still, with the stock trading at close to a $5.5 billion market cap, I'd keep positions smaller and more speculative for now.

Should you invest $1,000 in D-Wave Quantum right now?

Before you buy stock in D-Wave Quantum, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and D-Wave Quantum wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $644,254!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $807,814!*

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JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Bram Berkowitz has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The looming installation of one of D-Wave Quantum's (NYSE: QBTS) quantum computing systems was the news drawing investors to the company's stock over the past few days. As the market prepared to take a break for the weekend D-Wave Quantum shares had risen almost 18% in value week to date as of early Friday morning, according to data compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Sweet home Alabama

On Wednesday, D-Wave announced that, in conjunction with local tech company Davidson Technologies, it had completed the assembly phase of a D-Wave Advantage2 annealing quantum system in Huntsville, Alabama. The company added that with this part of the project complete, the installation is nearly finalized.

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When complete, the system will sit in a secure facility tailored for the needs of quantum computing, D-Wave added. The security is also appropriate given the company's list of federal government and aerospace industry clients.

In the press release heralding the milestone, D-Wave wrote that the Advantage2 "will be the first annealing quantum computer hosted on-premises in the state, offering new pathways for the development of quantum optimization applications designed to support mission-critical challenges in areas including national defense."

Gazing toward the future

Quantum computing promises to be the great technological revolution of our age, with machines that crunch data exponentially faster than traditional computers. At the moment that's more hope than reality, which is why a concrete development like the one D-Wave announced tends to excite the market. Investors will be hoping for continued encouragement from the company.

Should you invest $1,000 in D-Wave Quantum right now?

Before you buy stock in D-Wave Quantum, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and D-Wave Quantum wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $566,035!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $629,519!*

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Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Investors have spent the past couple of years acquainting themselves with artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing. These emerging technologies could represent the most significant leaps forward for humankind since the internet decades ago.

Of course, such groundbreaking technologies can be lucrative investment opportunities. The Defiance Quantum ETF (NASDAQ: QTUM) could be a smart way to add exposure to artificial intelligence and quantum computing to your portfolio.

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The exchange-traded fund has plunged nearly 20% from its high amid the market's recent volatility, one of its steepest declines since it began trading in 2018.

Here are three reasons to buy this AI quantum computing stock on the dip.

1. Quantum computing and AI have significant growth potential

It's impossible to predict what AI and quantum computers could make possible over the coming decades. You might see things you only thought were possible in science fiction. Humanoid robotics is already on the way, which reminds me of a famous action movie from the 1980s featuring a particular cyborg sent from the future.

Plus, AI and quantum computing could eventually be worth trillions of dollars. Research from McKinsey estimates AI could generate $23 trillion in annual economic value by 2040. Meanwhile, quantum computing could start slowly. Technology experts have speculated that practical quantum computers could still be several years away.

However, they could be a game changer once they get here. Boston Consulting Group's report on quantum computing forecasts that quantum computers will create $5 billion to $10 billion in annual economic value by 2030, but projects this to increase to $450 billion to $850 billion by 2040. Time will tell how accurate such estimates and timelines are, but the financial and real-world potential is exciting, to put it mildly.

2. An ETF means you don't have to pick winners

AI and quantum computing present quite a challenge for investors. Most individuals, let alone professional investors, aren't experts in these complex fields.

Therefore, picking individual winners could prove extremely challenging. That's a great reason to invest in a diversified instrument such as the Defiance Quantum ETF. It represents a global basket of 70 companies involved with AI and quantum computing -- someone else did the hard work of picking high-quality stocks in these advanced technology industries.

The fund's top holdings include:

Company	ETF Weight
D-wave Quantum	3.31%
Orange	2.37%
NEC Corp	2.17%
Palantir Technologies	2.15%
Koninklijke Kpn	2.05%
Alibaba Group	2.03%
Nokia	1.93%
Northrop Grumman	1.89%
Rigetti Computing	1.87%
RTX Corp	1.83%

Data source: Defiance ETFs.

Since AI and quantum computing have immense potential but are still so unpredictable, casting a wide net is a wise strategy. It could be a case of the 80-20 rule, where a select few companies produce a majority of the value in AI and quantum computing.

The ETF's construction spans various companies, industries, and countries, reducing risk by limiting the top holding to just 3.31% of the fund's total assets. Additionally, the expense ratio (0.4%) appears reasonable, considering the simplicity and diversification you gain in return.

3. The Defiance Quantum ETF has outperformed the market

Many quantum computing stocks have been highly volatile, and investors who bought at the wrong time have endured steep losses.

The Defiance Quantum ETF has been around since 2018, and has outperformed the Nasdaq Composite, a prominent technology-leaning U.S. stock market index, since about 2021:

QTUM Total Return Level data by YCharts

Past performance does not guarantee future results, but it demonstrates the effectiveness of a diverse approach to speculative industries like AI and quantum computing. I don't see why the Defiance Quantum ETF can't continue to perform well as these technologies mature.

Should you invest $1,000 in ETF Series Solutions - Defiance Quantum ETF right now?

Before you buy stock in ETF Series Solutions - Defiance Quantum ETF, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and ETF Series Solutions - Defiance Quantum ETF wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $561,046!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $606,106!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 811% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 153% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of April 21, 2025

Justin Pope has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends Alibaba Group and RTX. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.