The best ways to play the emergence of quantum computing, according to Rosenblatt

CNBC

29-07-2025

Investors wanting to get in early on the emerging space of quantum computing might want to consider D-Wave and IonQ , according to Rosenblatt analyst Kevin Garrigan. He initiated the two quantum computing stocks with buy ratings and a price target of $30 for D-Wave and $70 for IonQ. Those predictions imply gains of about 64% or more for both stocks from their latest close. "Quantum computing promises to solve certain classes of problems that are intractable for even the most advanced classical supercomputers," Garrigan wrote in a Monday note to clients. "While widespread quantum advantage is still several years away, targeted applications in optimization, quantum chemistry, and cybersecurity are already driving early enterprise adoption," Garrigan continued. "We believe companies demonstrating near-term commercial traction through hybrid quantum-classical solutions while also monitoring long-term disruptive plays in cryptography and AI acceleration as quantum hardware scales is important." A handful of quantum stocks have already seen a sharp run-up their valuations this year as investors bet on the fast-growing technology and companies innovate quantum computing chips and systems . Volatility persists as quantum computing remains in its infancy, but bulls remain focused on its ultimate potential to revolutionize functions across industries. D-Wave is up more than 122% year to date, after rallying 1,812% over the past 12 months. IonQ has added just 3.6% in 2025, but has surged more than 452% over the past year. Rigetti Computing , another quantum computing play , is up nearly 2% year to date but has rallied roughly 41% over the past month. Rigetti shares have surged 1,458% over the past year, according to FactSet. IonQ, which went public via SPAC in 2021, expects quantum to achieve broad commercial application by 2030, Garrigan said. "IonQ is a leading pure-play public company specializing in trapped-ion quantum computing, leveraging atomic ions suspended in electromagnetic fields as qubits," the analyst wrote. "Known for their long coherence times, high fidelity, and full qubit connectivity, trapped-ion systems offer architectural advantages but face challenges with slower gate speeds and scaling laser control as qubit counts increase." IonQ has made several acquisitions in recent years, bolstering its own capabilities in quantum internet infrastructure, he added. QBTS 1Y mountain D-Wave stock performance over the past year. D-Wave is known to deploy quantum computing technology that is energy-efficient. Upon initiating the stock, Garrigan highlighted that D-Wave uniquely specializes in quantum annealing systems, which he said solve "large-scale optimization problems by evolving a system to its lowest energy state." "Unlike gate-based quantum computers, D-Wave's annealers excel at problems with complex variables and constraints, offering significant energy efficiency advantages — claiming up to 1,000x reduction in compute power for tasks like hashing," he said. D-Wave in late May announced its most advanced quantum computing system , Advantage2, and said the computer offers a 40% boost in energy scale and can use fewer qubits to solve problems. Additionally, Garrigan noted a significant jump in venture capital investment over the past decade that has encouraged the rise of quantum startups and investor enthusiasm. He highlighted private players such as Alice & Bob and IQM Quantum Computers alongside megacap tech companies IBM and Google that are also making developments in the field.