Quantum computing may not be as hot as artificial intelligence (AI) right now, but it could be in the future. Useful quantum computing is often projected to arrive in 2030, which is not that far away. We are already seeing several companies succeed in the quantum computing industry and I think there are several businesses worth looking into.
Three that are near the top of my May shopping list are IonQ(NYSE: IONQ), D-wave quantum(NYSE: QBTS)and Alphabet(NASDAQ:GOOG)(NASDAQ:GOOGL). These three companies are major competitors in the quantum computing industry and they are all achieving great success right now. I expect these three to be some of the biggest players once 2030 rolls around, and by investing in them now, you’ll position yourself to gain maximum advantage.
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1. IonQ
IonQ(NYSE: IONQ) It is one of the most popular quantum computing options, mainly due to its supreme precision. There are two main reasons why we don’t have widespread quantum computing right now. First, there is precision. Quantum computers are not precise enough to be used in a commercial environment, and sometimes the results they provide are indistinguishable from background noise. Second is the number of qubits available in a system. Qubits are the basic computing unit of a quantum computer (as opposed to a bit in a traditional computer). There is a certain number of these qubits that are required for an operation to be useful at the scale needed in a commercial environment, and all companies are racing to optimize these two parts of the system.
IonQ is a leader in both fields, having a world-leading 2-qubit gate fidelity of 99.99%. That’s a much higher mark than its peers, and it’s also working to develop a 256-qubit system that has the same level of fidelity. If IonQ can pull this off, it may see huge demand for its products because that would put its technology far ahead of everyone else in the industry.
This is already translating into huge growth for IonQ, as it is signing several partnerships and research agreements related to its technology. In the first quarter of 2026, its revenue soared 755% year over year. The highlight was securing its first sale of 256-qubit units, something that will likely continue as quantum computing moves closer to a reality.
IonQ is one of the best options in the quantum space and investors should take a look at it.
2. D-wave quantum
There are several ways to perform quantum computing and not all of them involve gate processing. D-wave quantum (NYSE: QBTS) has focused its efforts on optimization problems rather than gate logic, and has already carved out a niche for itself in the industry. D-Wave’s quantum annealing computers are already being used in industry to solve problems in scheduling and logistics networks.
This has led to strong growth, with revenue increasing by 179% between 2024 and 2025. If D-Wave can carve out a niche for more specialized rather than general-purpose quantum computers, it will be a successful investment.
3. Alphabet
The last one is Alphabet(NASDAQ:GOOG)(NASDAQ:GOOGL). Alphabet is a major player in this space and has already made several key quantum breakthroughs. It doesn’t need to talk as much about the progress of its quantum computing technology, since it’s competing for funding for its research from within, rather than using external resources like IonQ and D-Wave.
Alphabet has already figured out how to break cryptocurrency security protocols and stated that these must be updated by 2029 or they could risk a massive attack based on quantum computing. This shows that Alphabet’s quantum technology is reaching a point of real-world relevance, and that could open the doors to great success, especially if it becomes the first quantum provider available on a cloud computing network.
Betting on Alphabet is a smart decision in this field and is one of the safest investment options in quantum computing.
Should You Buy IonQ Stock Right Now?
Before you buy shares in IonQ, consider this:
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*Stock Advisor returns from May 10, 2026.
Keithen Drury has positions in Alphabet and IonQ. The Motley Fool has positions and recommends Alphabet and IonQ. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
My Top 3 Quantum Computing Stocks for May 2026 was originally published by The Motley Fool
