Should You Invest $500 in Rigetti Computing Right Now?
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The popular quantum computing company is a long way from commercial viability.After impressive gains in 2025, quantum computing stocks have been less successful in 2026. One of the most popular, Rigetti Computing (RGTI +6.91%), has declined 27% on the year through the week ending Feb. 13. The question for potential investors with $500 to spare is whether this is an opportunity to buy the dip or just the beginning of a larger correction. Image source: Getty Images. I lean toward the latter. Pure-play quantum computing companies, including Rigetti, IonQ, D-Wave Quantum, and Quantum Computing, took off last year, but they're largely speculative investments. They don't generate much revenue. Rigetti made just $1.9 million in sales in the third quarter of 2025, a small figure for a company worth $5 billion. And they're all likely several years away, at a minimum, from developing commercially viable quantum computers. To its credit, Rigetti's quantum computing systems are ultra-fast, currently achieving gate speeds of 50 nanoseconds, about 1,000 times faster than other systems, such as the trapped ion systems favored by IonQ. A faster gate speed means a quantum computer can perform more operations within a given time period. What Rigetti's systems lack is accuracy. Its 108-qubit system, which is its largest, has achieved a median two-qubit gate fidelity of 99%. Gate fidelity is an accuracy measurement for quantum computing systems. For quantum systems to become widely used, they'll likely need gate fidelity of at least 99.99%, a mark that IonQ has achieved but that Rigetti hasn't. Rigetti has hit 99.7% on its 9-qubit system, but the final hundredths of a percent are exponentially more difficult to achieve. ExpandNASDAQ: RGTIRigetti ComputingToday's Change(6.91%) $1.03Current Price$16.02Key Data PointsMarket Cap$5.3BDay's Range$14.84 - $16.2352wk Range$6.86 - $58.15Volume1.1MAvg Vol35MGross Margin-6849.48% I'm not sold that quantum computing companies are that close to commercial viability. In a January 2026 investor presentation, Rigetti management projected that it would have a 1,000-qubit system with over 99.9% fidelity in three to five years. There are plenty of quality tech stocks with present-day commercial applications and fair valuations. You may want to consider one of them instead of risking $500 on Rigetti.Read NextFeb 13, 2026 •By Howard SmithWhy Did Rigetti Computing Stock Plunge This Week?Feb 8, 2026 •By John BromelsIs Rigetti Stock (RGTI) a Buy Now?Feb 7, 2026 •By Keithen DruryWhere Will Rigetti Computing Be in 3 Years?Feb 6, 2026 •By Anders BylundWhere Will Rigetti Computing Go Next?Feb 6, 2026 •By Johnny RiceWhy Did Rigetti Computing Stock Soar 18.3% Today?Feb 6, 2026 •By Johnny RiceShould You Buy Rigetti Computing Stock Right Now?About 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 MentionedRigetti ComputingNASDAQ: RGTI$16.02 (+6.91%) $+1.03*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.