Alphabet is a major competitor in this space.
IonQ has market-leading technology.
Nvidia believes the future will require a hybrid computing approach.
Quantum computing isn't as far away as it seems. Every month, there seems to be a new breakthrough with the technology, and it makes the possibility of commercially viable quantum computing inch closer and closer. Most of the money in the quantum computing space will be made years before it becomes widely available, so it's imperative that investors devote a small amount of their portfolio to this rising industry.
Three stocks I'm bullish on in the quantum sector are Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL), IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA). Each of them represents a unique way to invest in quantum computing, and all have major upside.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
Image source: Getty Images.
Alphabet is one of the most potent competitors in the quantum computing space. It has some of the most resources of anyone competing, fueled by growing cash flows from its advertising, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI) business segments. Furthermore, because it is self-funding, it doesn't need to advertise every breakthrough it achieves with its technology. This makes it a bit more secretive, but from what has been announced, it's clear that Alphabet is both a frontrunner in quantum technology and applications.
Alphabet was one of the first to announce a quantum algorithm that actually provides a notable step forward toward real-world applications, like MRI scans. It has also developed the algorithm necessary to break cryptocurrency blockchain encryption with its quantum computing technology. All of this is made possible with its Willow quantum computing chip, which has 105 qubits, making it one of the more powerful quantum computing chips today.
I think Alphabet is one of the biggest no-brainer investments in the quantum computing space, and will continue to impress investors with each announcement it makes. If quantum computing turns out to be a flop, Alphabet has its Google Search business that acts as a cash cow to fall back on, along with all of its other AI investments. These units make Alphabet what it is today, making it a fairly safe stock pick. But if Alphabet's quantum technologies pan out, it has even greater upside.
Moving to the opposite end of the spectrum, IonQ is about as risky as it gets. IonQ has no backup plan; it's quantum computing relevance or bust. This makes it a focused but risky company, and could deliver huge upside if it pans out. While most companies are focused on faster quantum computers, IonQ is working on a slower, more accurate variety. It excels in this area, as it holds the world record for two-qubit gate fidelity, a commonly used accuracy metric. IonQ's results in this test were 99.99%, or one error in every 10,000 operations. Most competitors have struggled to breach the 99.9% threshold, with popular pick Rigetti Computing only reaching 99.9% in prototype systems (Alphabet doesn't make its two-qubit gate fidelity scores public). IonQ's revenue is also soaring, driven by recognized revenue from contracts and new system sales. In Q1 2026, revenue was up an impressive 755%, showing that IonQ is excelling.
This shows that it's right on track, and with several research partners on board, it's clear that IonQ is among the top quantum players in the market. While IonQ has a daunting road ahead, if it can keep up its near-term success, it will prove to be a strong competitor in its space.
Nvidia may not seem like it belongs on a list of quantum computing stocks. While it doesn't directly make a quantum processing unit (QPU), it already has a massive stake in traditional computing methods. Nvidia is convinced that the future of quantum computing lies in a hybrid environment, where quantum and traditional computers work together to solve problems. To facilitate this, Nvidia has launched several products targeted at the quantum computing industry. It has developed its own generative AI model to aid in error correction, it launched the NVQLink, which allows quantum computers to plug into existing computing networks, and adapted its CUDA software to work with quantum computing functions and revised it as CUDA-Q.
That will allow Nvidia's traditional computing products to be used alongside new quantum computing devices. This will keep Nvidia relevant in the future, while also protecting it against a decline if quantum flops. In the meantime, an incredible amount of money is being spent on AI, which will boost Nvidia's stock in the short term. I like it as a stock that should do well over the next decade, as quantum and AI have the potential to drive massive shareholder returns.
Before you buy stock in Alphabet, 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 Alphabet 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 $443,191!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,258,838!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 941% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 206% 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 8, 2026.
Keithen Drury has positions in Alphabet, IonQ, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, IonQ, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.