What Is the Quantum Revolution? How To Invest in It

Many investors look for high-risk/high-reward plays in emerging technologies. From ultra-secure communication networks to drug discovery to artificial intelligence, quantum technologies may unlock unprecedented new products and markets. As this technological frontier expands, so too do the possible investment targets for your money. 

However, you don’t have to invest in the riskiest bets. “There are a lot of publicly traded companies and ETFs [exchange-traded funds] that focus on subsets of this market,” Tal Elyashiv, a venture capitalist and author of Investing in Revolutions, told Investopedia. However, he warned about the “tremendous amount of hype” in this area of investing, which makes it difficult to “figure out what’s real and what’s not.” We help you with that task below.

Quantum Leap or Quantum Hype?

Investors long ago reaped the gains of the first quantum revolution, which in the 20th century applied the then-young field of quantum physics to create transistors, lasers, and MRIs. The second quantum revolution focuses on manipulating individual quantum phenomena to develop entirely new technologies.

The promised revolution doesn’t just build off what we know about quantum reality, but seeks to intervene in it. That would mean taking advantage of quantum physics’ seemingly paradoxical properties—superposition, where a quantum bit (qubit) can exist in multiple states simultaneously, and entanglement, where two or more qubits become linked and share the same fate regardless of distance—to achieve, yes, a quantum leap in computing power and far more.

Quantum computing is the most publicized aspect, since it could solve highly complex problems that are intractable for even the most powerful supercomputers today. Potential applications include drug discovery, materials science, and financial modeling. But there are other areas expected to be affected:

Quantum Gains Without the Physics Degree

“When you think about the quantum revolution, if you want to participate, you don’t have to do it necessarily through alternative assets and alternative investments,” Elyashiv said. “The pace of adoption of those new technologies is really rapid and major companies are building their own quantum capabilities.”

There’s good reason for that, he noted. “The cost today is really prohibitive for quantum computing to become really useful”—something that’s likely beyond a small startup. 

Your quantum investment choices include major tech companies with quantum divisions like Microsoft Corporation (MSFT), International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), and Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL).

For broader exposure, Defiance Quantum ETF (QTUM) has been the go-to ETF, providing diversified but volatile exposure to global companies involved in quantum computing and machine learning, including Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) and D-wave Quantum Inc. (QBTS). (For pricing, fundamentals, and technical analysis tools for the shares of stock and ETFs discussed, click on their ticker for their Investopedia market page.)

Large Diversified Technology Companies

Large, Diversified Technology Companies

• IBM: The tech stalwart that has long had a major public commitment to building quantum hardware and cloud-based access.
• Alphabet: Significant quantum computing research through Google’s Quantum AI division, representing a long-term R&D play within a highly diversified business that mitigates your risks.
• Microsoft: Pursues quantum through its Azure Quantum platform, integrating access to various quantum hardware and tools.
• NVIDIA (NVDA): A critical “pick and shovel” provider for the quantum ecosystem, manufacturing GPUs and software essential for simulating quantum systems and developing quantum algorithms.

Pure-Play Quantum Companies

• IonQ Inc. (IONQ): Focuses on developing and commercializing trapped-ion quantum computers for cloud access, representing a high-risk, high-reward direct investment.
• D-Wave Quantum: Focuses on quantum annealing systems, which use quantum phenomena like superposition and tunneling for very complex problem-solving. Investing here provides direct exposure to a different approach to quantum computing with some existing commercial traction, though still in a developing market.
• Rigetti Computing (RGTI): This is a direct, high-risk bet on a specific hardware technology (full-stack platforms) and its ability to achieve commercial viability and scale in a highly competitive and research-intensive field.

The Bottom Line

The quantum revolution represents a genuine investment opportunity, but success requires distinguishing between transformational potential and speculative hype—and even then there are no guarantees.

While IONQ, QBTS, and RGTI all shot up significantly year over year into mid-2025, the payoff is likely long-term, Elyashiv noted. “There are a lot of issues that are not resolved yet with quantum computing. There is no doubt in my mind that they will be resolved, but until they are resolved, this cannot be a mass-use technology.”