Quantum Computing Is Having Its Public Market Moment

Key points

• Quantinuum lost nearly $200 million last year, saw revenue drop the first quarter of 2026, and says its technology may never work–yet investors are clamoring to buy the stock.
• The quantum computer maker boosted the price and number of shares it will issue on the New York Stock Exchange ahead of its public debut on Thursday, indicating higher-than-anticipated demand.
• Quantum computers are a nascent technology that promise to solve problems current machines can’t, unlocking commercial advantages in areas from drug discovery to defense.
• A multitude of startups, as well as tech giants like IBM and Google, are racing to build a quantum computer powerful enough to realize these benefits.
• It’s expensive work.