Quantum Computing Has Its Time in the Public Market

Quantinuum was almost lost $ 200 million last year, revenue fell in the first quarter of 2026, and it is said that its technology can not work – yet investors are clamoring to buy shares.

The quantum computer maker raised the price and the number of shares it will offer on the New York Stock Exchange to the public on Thursday, showing higher-than-expected demand.

Quantum computing is a new technology that promises to solve problems that current machines can’t, opening up commercial advantages in areas from drug discovery to security. Many startups, as well as tech giants like IBM and Google, are racing to build a computer powerful enough to handle this.

It’s an expensive job. Recently, a number of businesses have taken advantage of high-tech valuations and gone public to raise the necessary capital, while investors are clamoring to participate in the gold rush. The number of publicly traded quantum computer companies in the US has doubled since the beginning of the year.

Government support for technology may have encouraged some investors. In May, the US Department of Commerce said it would invest between $2 billion in nine companies, including $100 million in Quantinuum. The vote of confidence on the company’s streets will be a “next step,” as Quantinuum secured financial support in preparation for its debut, according to Narang.

Although Quantinuum is the fourth company of its kind to register in the US this year, it will be the first to go through the gradual, and streamlined process of starting a public offering.

“You can say that the quantum has not yet passed,” says Prineha Narang, a professor of physics, and electrical and computer engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles. “That’s why many companies and investors are watching the Quantinuum IPO.”

No company has made a computer so powerful that it’s worth the price yet. When – and if they will – is unclear. “At the moment, with many companies and institutions, you’re not buying a business here, you’re buying an opportunity,” said Olivier Roussy, CEO of security firm BTQ Technologies Corp.

Isabella Ward, WIRED Staff Writer reports