Quantum Wave Today
As of 06/15/2026 04:00 PM Eastern
- 52 week interval
- $12.75
▼
$46.75
- Target Value
- $36.80
As Q2 2026 wraps up, the race for quantum computing is as fierce as ever, and has spawned pure-play companies like D-Wave Quantum Inc. NYSE: QBTS they are facing new pressures. On the other hand, D-Wave has to deal with the increasing work in the quantum space by big technology companies like Intel Corp. NASDAQ: INTC and IBM Corp. NYSE: IBMboth of which have made a big push through new investments or larger partnerships that leverage their size and operational advantages. This was made more difficult by the nearly $2 billion in industry-wide funding from the Commerce Department, only a small portion of which is slated to go to D-Wave.
On the other hand, D-Wave also faces often-overlooked threats from smaller, up-and-coming quantum companies. In particular, Arqit Quantum Inc. NASDAQ: ARQQ– he can stand out on the field as a new competitor. Below, we look at Arqit and the biggest company traditionally outside of the quantum space, Qualcomm Inc. NASDAQ: QCOMthat could also threaten D-Wave's status as a leader in the field.
Quantum Cybersecurity's Most Speculative Plays Ahead of Its Time
Arqit takes a unique approach within the quantum ecosystem because it is a cybersecurity firm focused on quantum secure encryption solutions. As quantum computing technology continues to advance, it may introduce new security threats that older computer systems are ill-equipped to deal with—risks that may extend to cryptocurrencies. Arqit is now preparing for future security threats using quantum technology due to its key distribution properties.
Arqit Quantum Today
As of 06/15/2026 04:00 PM Eastern
- 52 week interval
- $11.52
▼
$62.00
- Target Value
- $60.00
In the first half of its fiscal 2026 (ending September 30, 2026), revenue increased 830% year-over-year (YOY) on the strength of 11 unique contracts, up from seven last year. The company is breaking significant ground with telecommunications network operators, government agencies, defense contractors, and other business organizations, all of which could be key customer areas as the company continues to grow.
As of May 20, 2026, Arqit had raised nearly $36 million—though this is still a small amount, amounting to $7 million in less than two months. Supporting Arqit's growth is a partnership with Intel that sees pre-installed encryption software on select Intel hardware, with other partnerships emerging.
Investors may be concerned, however, that Arqit has missed some of its sales projections and that the company has cut shares several times in recent years. These are the reasons why it gets an overall hold rating, with one Wall Street analyst suggesting ARQQ as a Buy and another calling it a Sell. However, the target price of $60 is about 230% above current price levels. ARQQ is a speculative and high-risk play, but it represents a new entrant into an industry that could eventually change—and potentially draw investors' attention away from firms like D-Wave.
A Non-Quantum Company with a Key Role in Quantum Development
While Arqit has a market capitalization of only $280 million, Qualcomm is almost 850 times larger at around $238 billion. And while Qualcomm isn't a pure-play quantum company—it's a wireless communications and semiconductor company—it's still an emerging player in quantum technology through its Qualcomm Ventures arm.
Qualcomm Today
As of 06/15/2026 04:00 PM Eastern
- 52 week interval
- $121.99
▼
$259.92
- Dividend Yield
- 1.67%
- The P/E ratio
- 24.00
- Target Value
- $184.29
Qualcomm Ventures is a corporate arm of Qualcomm that invests in quantum computing firms, among others. Notably, Qualcomm Ventures has made a major investment in control system creator Quantum Machines, maker of a platform used to control quantum processors.
For Qualcomm, the interest in quantum computing is at least two-fold. For one, the company has the capital and leverage to use to participate in the quantum race, despite its traditional focus elsewhere. Beyond that, however, Qualcomm will benefit from the development of quantum-safe communication hardware. The threat of future quantum-based hacking will undoubtedly affect the rollout of future 6G networks and beyond, and Qualcomm products will be more secure for customers if the company can participate in the development of key algorithms and cryptography.
In it latest earnings reportQualcomm posted an estimated 3.5% YOY decline in revenue, as sales came in at $10.6 billion and beat analyst forecasts. EPS of $2.65 also beat expectations and came in at the high end of guidance. Qualcomm's other non-quantum businesses helped drive performance—including, most notably, automotive revenue and its data center business. For investors interested in Qualcomm's strength within the quantum space, the savings provided by this diversity of operations could be a strong draw.
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