3 Reasons Why IonQ Is the Best Quantum Computing Pure Play - Yahoo Finance
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3 Reasons Why IonQ Is the Best Quantum Computing Pure Play Keithen Drury, The Motley Fool Mon, June 1, 2026 at 8:07 AM EDT 4 min read 1 IONQ +3.06% NVDA -0.69% Quantum computing pure-play companies are exciting. These investments have a ton of upside, but that comes with a ton of risk. All of these companies are competing for a market of unknown size and are also having to go up against some big tech companies that have nearly unlimited resources. That's not an easy road for companies to navigate, so investors must be picky about which quantum computing stocks they invest in. My top quantum computing pure-play stock is IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), as it has several factors that differentiate it from the competition. That could give it an edge, leading to substantial returns if it pans out. Missed Nvidia in 2009?
This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue » Image source: The Motley Fool. 1. IonQ is taking a different approach to quantum computing Most quantum computing companies are using a superconducting technique for quantum computing. This approach has its merits, but IonQ is taking a different path. It uses trapped-ion technology, which has a few key advantages over superconducting. First, its accuracy is superior, but we'll get into that in a little bit. Second, it uses lasers to cool particles for quantum computing, rather than cooling an entire chamber. That has major cost advantages, and reducing input costs could be a key factor in its success. Last, its computers can be scaled fairly easily, and IonQ already has a blueprint for building a 10,000-qubit computer. If IonQ can achieve that, it will likely see strong commercial success, as it considers a computer of that size the threshold for commercial viability. All of this adds up to a stock that could boom if IonQ achieves this buildout, making it a top choice in quantum computing. 2. IonQ holds the world record for the most accurate quantum computer In some ways, viable quantum computing is already available. However, users don't know whether they can trust the results because most quantum computers exhibit significant errors. A quantum computer uses the movement of particles to perform calculations. It's very easy for background noise to enter the system and mess up the result, which reduces accuracy. IonQ is the current world record holder for quantum computing accuracy, with a system that incurs about one error in every 10,000 calculations. While that's impressive, IonQ still has a way to go before it's good enough for commercial use. But because it has a major head start on nearly every other company, it's another reason why IonQ is my top pure-play pick. Story Continues 3. IonQ's revenue growth showcases growing interest IonQ isn't some obscure quantum computing company; it's gaining popularity each quarter, and its results are starting to reflect that. In Q1, revenue rose 755% year over year. Part of this growth is from acquisitions, but much of it is from new research partnerships and system sales. Remaining performance obligations rose 554% year over year to $470 million, representing a huge backlog that IonQ needs to churn through. IonQ is just getting started, and there could be several other exciting partnerships, as well as government contracts that could come IonQ's way over the next few years. IonQ will have its work cut out for it to become the top dog in the quantum computing space, but it has a great start versus the competition. I'm a believer in IonQ, but I still don't have all of my eggs in the IonQ basket. There could be a lot that derails IonQ's momentum, and having some exposure to other companies that are pursuing superconducting quantum computing is also a smart idea. It could be five to ten years before quantum computing becomes a mainstream product, so investors will need to stay patient and wait to see how IonQ does over that time frame.Should you buy stock in IonQ right now?Before you buy stock in IonQ, consider this:The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and IonQ wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $463,900!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,294,401!*Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 978% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 211% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.See the 10 stocks »*Stock Advisor returns as of June 1, 2026. Keithen Drury has positions in IonQ.
The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends IonQ.
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