Why Did Quantum Computing Stock Pop Today?

Valued at only $2.2 billion in market capitalization, Quantum Computing (NASDAQ: QUBT) stock may have the best name in the quantum computing industry — but it’s still one of the smaller stocks in this industry. Despite what you may be seeing happen with the stock price today, however, I fear Quantum Computing may be destined…


Why Did Quantum Computing Stock Pop Today?

Valued at only $2.2 billion in market capitalization, Quantum Computing (NASDAQ: QUBT) stock may have the best name in the quantum computing industry — but it’s still one of the smaller stocks in this industry. Despite what you may be seeing happen with the stock price today, however, I fear Quantum Computing may be destined to stay small.

Shares of Quantum Computing leapt 16% through 11:05 a.m. ET Thursday morning, after The Wall Street Journal reported the Trump Administration plans to award $2 billion in grants to nine quantum computing companies and take equity stakes to secure its investment in each.

Will AI create the world’s first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on a little-known company, called an “Indispensable Monopoly,” providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need.

Continue ยป

Neon QUANTUM COMPUTING sign floats in a sea of qubits.
Image source: Getty Images.

Money for thee, but not for me

That sounds like good news, but here’s the thing:

Quantum Computing is not one of these nine companies. Instead of giving money to Quantum Computing, the Trump Administration will award $100 million each to its rivals D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS), Infleqtion (NYSE: INFQ), and Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI), $375 million to Globalfoundries (NASDAQ: GFS), and a cool $1 billion to International Business Machines (NYSE: IBM)!

A handful of privately owned companies will split the remainder of the $2 billion.

And Quantum Computing itself will get none.

What does this mean for Quantum Computing stock?

So how is this good news for Quantum Computing stock, if it’s getting no money, and everyone else is getting a lot of money — plus backing from the U.S. government that will give it an interest in seeing Quantum Computing’s rivals succeed (and perhaps that Quantum Computing fails)?

I honestly don’t see any logic in investors buying Quantum Computing stock on this news. With analysts still expecting the stock to lose money for years, it may be time to sell.

Should you buy stock in Quantum Computing right now?

Before you buy stock in Quantum Computing, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are theย 10 best stocks for investors to buy nowโ€ฆ and Quantum Computing wasnโ€™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,ย youโ€™d have $475,063!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youโ€™d have $1,369,991!*

Now, itโ€™s worth notingย Stock Advisorโ€™s total average return is 996% โ€” a market-crushing outperformance compared to 208% for the S&P 500.ย Don’t miss the latest top 10 list, available withย Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.

See the 10 stocks ยป

*Stock Advisor returns as of May 21, 2026.

Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends GlobalFoundries and International Business Machines. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Why Did Quantum Computing Stock Pop Today? was originally published by The Motley Fool

Source link