Battle Royale: IonQ vs. Rigetti. Only One Can Make You Rich.

By Lyle Daly – Jan 18, 2026 at 10:30AM ESTKey PointsIonQ and Rigetti Computing are pure-play quantum computing companies.Rigetti utilizes superconducting technology, resulting in faster gate speeds.IonQ's trapped-ion technology is much more accurate, and this company has generated more revenue.CEO says this is worth 18 Nvidias. Will this make the world's first trillionaire? ›NYSE: IONQIonQMarket Cap$18BToday's Changeangle-down(6.81%) $3.24Current Price$50.80Price as of January 16, 2026 at 4:00 PM ETThey've both outperformed the market and emerged as leaders in the quantum computing industry.Quantum computing stocks exploded in 2025, and two of the most popular pure-play options are IonQ (IONQ +6.81%) and Rigetti Computing (RGTI +3.62%). Over the last year, IonQ has increased by 83%, and Rigetti has seen an even more impressive 325% growth. But which one is more likely to generate outsize returns going forward? While both are risky, one appears to be a stronger investment. Image source: Getty Images. Precision beats speed IonQ and Rigetti take very different approaches to quantum computing. Rigetti utilizes the popular superconducting technique, which involves cooling qubits to near absolute zero. IonQ opts for trapped-ion technology, which holds qubits in specific positions using electromagnetic fields. This results in a few key differences. Rigetti's quantum systems are much faster, reportedly achieving gate speeds 10,000 times faster than those of trapped-ion systems. However, IonQ has the edge in accuracy, having achieved 99.99% fidelity. Rigetti has achieved 99.5% fidelity and aims to build a quantum system with 99.7% fidelity by late 2026. Quantum computing is an industry where 0.49% matters. For quantum systems to be commercially viable, they need near 100% fidelity. Otherwise, they're just calculating the incorrect answer more quickly.Advertisement ExpandNYSE: IONQIonQToday's Change(6.81%) $3.24Current Price$50.80Key Data PointsMarket Cap$18BDay's Range$47.52 - $51.8952wk Range$17.88 - $84.64Volume23MAvg Vol22MGross Margin-747.41% Higher fidelity is one reason why IonQ has much higher earnings than Rigetti. It has reported $80 million in revenue over the trailing 12 months (TTM), while Rigetti has made $7 million. IonQ's trailing revenue has also been on the rise, growing 493% over the last three years. Rigetti's revenue has declined 43% over the same time period. If you're bullish on quantum computing, you may want to pick up shares of both companies, as there's no way to be certain which will do better. However, between the two, I'd rank IonQ well ahead of Rigetti for its greater accuracy and revenue growth.Read NextJan 17, 2026 •By Bram BerkowitzIonQ Stock Prediction: Here's Where the Quantum Computing Play Will Be in 1 YearJan 17, 2026 •By Adria Cimino2 Quantum Computing Stocks That Could Make a MillionaireJan 16, 2026 •By Keithen DruryQuantum Computing Could Be a $72 Billion Opportunity by 2035. Can IonQ Capture It?Jan 16, 2026 •By James HiresThe Tiny Quantum Stock That Could Surge 35% per Year as AI Demand ExplodesJan 15, 2026 •By Catie Hogan2 No-Brainer Quantum Computing Stocks to Buy Hand Over Fist for 2026Jan 15, 2026 •By Adam SpataccoPrediction: IonQ Stock Will Be Worth This Much by Year-End 2026About the AuthorLyle Daly is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering information technology and cryptocurrency. Lyle has been a contributor at the financial services company since 2018. His work has been featured on USA Today, Yahoo Finance, MSN, Fox Business, and Nasdaq. Before joining The Motley Fool, he wrote for financial brands including Intuit.TMFLyleDalyX@LyleDalyStocks MentionedIonQNYSE: IONQ$50.80 (+0.07%) $+3.24Rigetti ComputingNASDAQ: RGTI$25.59 (+0.04%) $+0.90*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.Advertisement