My Top 3 Quantum Computing Stocks for May 2026

Key Points

IonQ is a leader in quantum computing accuracy.

D-Wave Quantum's technology is already being used in industry.

Alphabet has major resources to fund its quantum computing research.

• 10 stocks we like better than IonQ ›

Quantum computing may not be as hot as artificial intelligence (AI) is right now, but it could be in the future. Useful quantum computing is often projected to come about in 2030, which isn't all that far away. We're already seeing several companies have success in the quantum computing industry, and I think there are several businesses that are worth looking into.

Three that are near the top of my buy list in May are IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS), and Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL). All three of these companies are major competitors in the quantum computing industry, and all are seeing major success right now. I expect these three to be some of the major players once 2030 rolls around, and by investing in them now, you'll position yourself for ultimate upside.

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1. IonQ

IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) is one of the more popular pure-play quantum computing picks, mainly because of its supreme accuracy. There are two primary reasons why we don't have widespread quantum computing right now. First, there is accuracy. Quantum computers aren't accurate enough to be used in a commercial setting, and sometimes the results they provide are indistinguishable from background noise. Second is the number of qubits available in a system. Qubits are the base computing unit in a quantum computer (versus a bit in a traditional computer). There is a certain number of these qubits that are required for an operation to be useful at the scale necessary in a commercial setting, and every company is racing to optimize these two parts of the system.

IonQ is a leader in both fields, as it has a world-leading 2-qubit gate fidelity of 99.99%. That's a much higher mark than its peers, and it's also working to develop a 256-qubit system that has the same level of fidelity. If IonQ can achieve that, it may see major demand for its products because that would put its technology far in front of everyone else in the industry.

This is already translating into major growth for IonQ, as it's signing several research partnerships and agreements regarding its technology. In Q1 2026, its revenue soared 755% year over year. The biggest highlight was securing its first 256-qubit unit sale -- something that will likely continue as quantum computing becomes close to reality.

IonQ is a top option in the quantum space, and investors should take a look at it.

2. D-Wave Quantum

There are several ways quantum computing can be performed, and not all of them involve gate processing. D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) has focused its efforts on optimization problems rather than gate logic, and has already carved out a niche for itself in the industry. D-Wave's quantum annealing computers are already being used in industry to solve problems in scheduling and logistics networks.

That has led to strong growth, with revenue rising 179% from 2024 to 2025. If D-Wave can carve out a niche for itself for more specialized quantum computers rather than general-purpose ones, it will be a successful investment.

3. Alphabet

Last is Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL). Alphabet is a major player in this space and has already made several key quantum breakthroughs. It doesn't need to be as vocal about the progress of its quantum computing technology, as it's competing for funding for its research from within, rather than using external resources like IonQ and D-Wave have to do.

Alphabet has already discovered how to break cryptocurrency security protocols and stated that these need to be updated by 2029 or they could be at risk of a massive quantum computing-based attack. This shows that Alphabet's quantum technology is reaching the point of real-world relevance, and that could open up the doors to major success, especially if it becomes the first quantum provider available on a cloud computing network.

Betting on Alphabet is a smart move in this field, and it's one of the safest investment choices in quantum computing.

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Keithen Drury has positions in Alphabet and IonQ. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet and IonQ. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.