BlackRock Owns 24.3 Million Shares of IonQ. Here's What That Really Tells You About Quantum Computing Stocks. - The Motley Fool
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By Johnny Rice – Feb 27, 2026 at 9:20AM ESTKey PointsMost of IonQ's institutional ownership comes from passive index funds that must hold its shares regardless of the company's prospects.Only a small fraction of Wall Street holders -- like Morgan Stanley -- are research-driven investors making active bets on quantum computing.Understanding the difference between passive, algorithmic, and conviction-based ownership can help you avoid misreading institutional sentiment.NYSE: IONQIonQMarket Cap$14BToday's Changeangle-down(-10.05%) $4.11Current Price$36.77Price as of February 27, 2026 at 11:18 AM ETInstitutional ownership in stocks can be misleading. Here's what the 13F filings actually show.When IonQ's (IONQ 10.05%) stock surged in 2025, a popular narrative took hold: Wall Street is loading up on quantum computing. But this narrative missed something fundamental about how institutional ownership actually works, and understanding the difference could save you from a costly misread of institutional investor sentiment. Passive funds don't pick stocks No later than 45 days after the end of each quarter, institutional investors managing more than $100 million must file a 13F with the Securities and Exchange Commission -- a public disclosure of their stock holdings as of the end of that period. When investors see massive names like Vanguard and BlackRock holding millions of shares of IonQ, it's easy to assume the "smart money" believes in the company's future, but that's not the case here. Image source: Getty Images. IonQ is a component of indexes like the Russell 2000, which tracks the 2,000 smallest publicly traded companies in the U.S. based solely on market capitalization. All the funds that track that index -- like BlackRock's iShares Russell 2000 ETF -- hold shares of every company in the index in proportion to each company's market cap. This means that if IonQ represents 0.1% of the Russell 2000, a fund that tracks it must allocate 0.1% of its assets to IonQ shares. ExpandNYSE: IONQIonQToday's Change(-10.05%) $-4.11Current Price$36.77Key Data PointsMarket Cap$14BDay's Range$36.55 - $39.5552wk Range$17.88 - $84.64Volume670KAvg Vol20MGross Margin-2267.11% There's more than one kind of active fund Not all institutional holders of IonQ are passive funds that track indexes. There are also active funds that generally fall into two camps: Quantitative and trading-oriented firms like D.E. Shaw. These hedge funds make active trades using algorithms in pursuit of short-term gains. They don't particularly care about the company's quality or its long-term prospects. Research-driven, active funds like Morgan Stanley. This is the "smart money" you are thinking of. These firms employ analysts who study companies' technology, build financial models, and take positions based on a genuine investment thesis and long-term conviction. Morgan Stanley is the main outlier on IonQ's stakeholder list. It owns 16.6 million shares. And while it's significant, it is still a small piece of the pie for Morgan Stanley and doesn't reflect Wall Street at large. How investors should use 13F filings When you pull back the curtains on 13F filings, most of Wall Street's quantum computing exposure is either passive, momentum-driven, or a rounding error inside a large diversified portfolio. It's worth remembering that quantum computing remains a deeply speculative sector. The companies involved are pursuing genuinely transformative technology, but commercial revenue at scale from it is still years away. The gap between scientific promise and investable reality is big. If you're using institutional ownership as a signal, make sure you're reading it correctly. Focus less on the total number of institutional holders and more on who they are. Look for growth in active, research-driven holders as a more meaningful signal of institutional conviction. And most importantly of all, invest in companies that you have high conviction in over the long term. This is the key not just to finding success in the market, but enjoying peace of mind too.Read NextFeb 26, 2026 •By Joe TenebrusoWhy IonQ Stock Surged TodayFeb 26, 2026 •By Howard SmithStock Market Today, Feb. 26: IonQ Surges After Revenue and 2026 Guidance Exceed ExpectationsFeb 26, 2026 •By Keith NoonanIonQ Is Skyrocketing Today -- Is the Quantum Computing Stock a Buy?Feb 26, 2026 •By Scott LevineWhy Shares of IonQ Are Soaring This WeekFeb 26, 2026 •By Leo SunForget the Quantum Hype Cycle: IonQ's Earnings Just Proved the Business Is RealFeb 25, 2026 •By Justin PopePrediction: The Quantum Computing Hype Could Cool Off in 2026 -- Here's WhyAbout the AuthorJohnny Rice is a contributing writer for The Motley Fool covering tech stocks. He previously contributed to various financial publications.TMFJohnnyRiceStocks MentionedIonQNYSE: IONQ$36.77 (10.05%) $4.11*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.