2 Quantum Computing Stocks That Are Further Along Than Anyone Is Giving Them Credit For - The Motley Fool

By Adria Cimino – May 24, 2026 at 6:10PM EST KEY POINTS Quantum computing, due to its complexity, will take time to become very useful -- and even experts haven’t agreed on an exact timeline. These two companies have announced significant progress over the past year or so. Quantum computing promises to be one of the next big things in technology, and that's prompted many growth investors to pile into the industry. But when we think "next big thing," that doesn't necessarily mean tomorrow or even a year or two from now. One thing that's held some investors back from getting in on this high-potential technology is the idea that its usefulness may be many years or even decades away. Even experts haven't always been certain about when this exciting technology might become part of our daily lives. Early last year, Nvidia chief Jensen Huang said quantum computing was decades away from the point of being very useful. A few months later, Huang said otherwise and even announced the creation of a quantum computing research center. And Microsoft ( MSFT 2.00% ) co-founder Bill Gates said last year that the technology might be ready to solve big problems in three to five years. The reason it's taking a while for quantum computing to become very useful is due to the complexity of the technology. It involves using qubits for calculations rather than the bits used by classical computers -- and qubits are fragile and often difficult to scale up. But there's reason to be optimistic about the progress of certain companies. In fact, two quantum stocks are further along than anyone is giving them credit for. Let's check them out. Image source: Getty Images. 1. Microsoft You probably know Microsoft well for its software suite, including popular products like Word and Excel, and you might even be familiar with the company's cloud computing business. These are major engines, driving years of revenue and profit growth -- and this has translated into returns for investors, too, with the stock rising 700% over the past decade. Expand NASDAQ: MSFT Microsoft Today's Change (-2.00%) $-8.22 Current Price $403.52 KEY DATA POINTS Market Cap $3.1T Day's Range $398.50 - $411.94 52wk Range $356.28 - $555.45 Volume 1.5M Avg Vol 34.4M Gross Margin 68.31% Dividend Yield 0.86% But, while Microsoft is a well-established business you can count on, it's also exploring new technologies with the energy of a young start-up. In fact, in quantum computing, it's making major strides and progress that could reduce the time to usefulness. A little over a year ago, Microsoft introduced its Majorana 1 chip -- the big news here is that it uses a type of material, the topoconductor, which can lead to the production of more scalable and reliable qubits. As Microsoft says, this architecture may address problems at an industrial scale in just a few years. The company is on track to fit one million qubits on a chip that can fit in your palm. Meanwhile, Microsoft's financial strength can support the investment needed to reach this and related goals. All of this makes Microsoft the ideal choice for an investor looking for safety along with growth. 2. IonQ IonQ ( IONQ 9.73% ) is a pure-play quantum computing company, so it represents more risk than a tech giant like Microsoft. Though the company generates revenue from its quantum systems, it isn't yet profitable on an operational basis and must continue to invest heavily in research and development. But this is pretty standard for a young company specializing in quantum computing. Expand NYSE: IONQ IonQ Today's Change (-9.73%) $-6.11 Current Price $56.69 KEY DATA POINTS Market Cap $23B Day's Range $53.27 - $63.90 52wk Range $25.89 - $84.64 Volume 1.2M Avg Vol 29.9M Gross Margin -2879.52% This company reached a key milestone last year -- and one that's a record in the performance of quantum systems. IonQ delivered 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity. What does this mean? IonQ tackled one of the biggest problems facing quantum computing these days, and that's the error rate. "Two-qubit gate fidelity" is a measure of accuracy, and reaching almost 100% is a huge accomplishment. So far, IonQ is the only quantum company to attain this accuracy level. IonQ says this sets it on the path to ramp up to millions of qubits by 2030, suggesting that usefulness may be right around the corner. IonQ is known for its technology of using atoms, transformed into trapped ions, as qubits -- they offer several advantages, including the ability to interact with each other and the fact that they can maintain superposition for quite some time. Though the quantum computing timeline still isn't certain, IonQ may be further along than anyone is giving it credit for. Read Next Jun 9, 2026 By Keith Noonan Why Microsoft Stock Is Sinking Today Jun 8, 2026 By Anders Bylund 9 Best Quantum Computing Stocks for 2026 and How to Invest Jun 8, 2026 By Lyle Daly The Magnificent Seven Stocks: Market Cap, S&P 500 Weight, and Returns Jun 8, 2026 By Keith Noonan Why Microsoft Stock Surged 10.4% Last Month But Is Sinking in June Jun 7, 2026 By Lyle Daly The Largest Technology Companies by Market Cap in June 2026 Jun 7, 2026 By Catie Hogan Why Microsoft Distancing Itself From OpenAI Is a Good Thing for Investors ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adria Cimino is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering healthcare, technology, and consumer goods sectors. Prior to The Motley Fool, Adria covered the European stock market and U.S. stocks pre-market trading for Bloomberg News, Bloomberg TV, and Bloomberg Radio for more than a decade. Earlier in her career, she wrote about biotech, medtech, and technology companies in Boston for Mass High Tech, an American City Business Journals publication. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of South Florida. TMFAdriaCimino @adria_in_paris STOCKS MENTIONED Microsoft NASDAQ: MSFT $403.52 (-2.00%) -$8.22 Motley Fool Stock Advisor’s Latest Pick Get Access ---% Avg Return Nvidia NASDAQ: NVDA $207.74 (-0.43%) -$0.90 IonQ NYSE: IONQ $56.69 (-9.73%) -$6.11 *Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.