Which Quantum Computing Stock Should You Watch: D-Wave vs IonQ vs Rigetti?

Three quantum computing players are grabbing Wall Street’s attention right now, each playing a different game:

D-Wave Quantum (QBTS) is going all-in on quantum annealing—think of it as specialized computing for optimization problems. The catch? It’s not a general-purpose tool. But here’s the kicker: analysts are most bullish on this one. 9 out of 10 analysts rating it as “buy,” with a 12-month upside target of 85%.

IonQ (IONQ) is the trapped-ion play. Ytterbium-based qubits, less cooling needed, better error correction than competitors. Wall Street’s pretty into it too—6 of 9 analysts bullish, 72% potential upside on average.

Rigetti Computing (RGTI) is also using superconductors but taking a different route with superconducting qubits. Their Cepheus-1-36Q is currently the world’s biggest multi-chip quantum computer. 6 of 7 analysts rate it a buy, with 74% average upside.

Here’s the thing: all three have cratered 50%+ from recent peaks, but analysts still see room to run. If you’re risk-averse, Microsoft (MSFT) offers quantum exposure with way less volatility—topological superconductor approach, and 57 of 58 analysts rate it a buy with 31% upside.

The bottom line: D-Wave looks to be analysts’ favorite, but quantum computing is still early-stage tech. Not financial advice—do your own research.