Accelerating the Commercialization of Quantum Computing: Corporate Adoption and Market Outlook by 2026
Editor
The Turning Point in Quantum Computing Commercialization
As of February 2026, the quantum computing industry is moving beyond theoretical research into a practical commercialization trajectory. According to the latest report by market research firm IDC, the global quantum computing market is projected to grow from $1.5 billion in 2025 to $2.3 billion in 2026, a 53% increase, marking a growth trend two years ahead of initial expectations. Notably, early investments focused on hardware are now expanding into software and services. The quantum software market alone is predicted to grow to $700 million in 2026, a 78% increase from the previous year.
This growth is driven by aggressive investments and technological innovations from major tech companies. IBM, headquartered in New York, successfully commercialized its ‘Condor’ processor with 1,121 qubits in Q4 2025, moving closer to achieving Quantum Advantage. This represents more than an eightfold improvement over the previous IBM Heron processor (133 qubits), reaching a level applicable to solving real business problems. Simultaneously, California-based Google’s parent company Alphabet announced a breakthrough in quantum error correction technology with its Willow chip, significantly enhancing the practicality of quantum computing.
Interest in quantum computing is also surging in the Korean market. According to a survey by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI), 67% of major domestic corporations plan to initiate quantum computing-related pilot projects by 2026, nearly doubling from 34% in 2025. Samsung Electronics announced a partnership with IBM in December 2025 to apply quantum algorithms to semiconductor design optimization.
In the financial services sector, tangible results are already emerging. JP Morgan Chase reported a 40% improvement in computation speed for portfolio optimization and risk modeling using quantum algorithms since the second half of 2025. Additionally, Germany’s Deutsche Bank developed a high-frequency trading algorithm using quantum computing, improving annual returns by 15%. These case studies are shifting the perception of quantum computing from a future technology to a currently applicable one.
Intensifying Technological Competition and Platform Diversification
The competition for technological leadership in the quantum computing market is becoming increasingly fierce. While IBM and Google lead the early market, Microsoft is accelerating its market entry with a differentiated approach. Based in Redmond, Washington, Microsoft officially launched its Azure Quantum Cloud service in November 2025, significantly improving cloud-based quantum computing accessibility. This service offers a reasonable pricing policy starting at $999 per month, providing small and medium-sized enterprises with opportunities to leverage quantum computing.
Distinctive technological approaches are also emerging. IBM focuses on superconducting qubit technology, concentrating on expanding qubit numbers, while Google allocates more resources to quantum error correction. Meanwhile, Microsoft pursues a unique technological path with topological qubits, aiming for long-term technological superiority. These diverse approaches enhance the diversity of the quantum computing ecosystem while forming each company’s unique competitive edge.
In the Asian market, China and Japan are rapidly catching up through large-scale government-led investments. China allocated a national quantum computing budget of $2.8 billion for 2026, an 80% increase from the previous year, significantly surpassing the U.S. federal quantum initiative budget of $1.8 billion. Notably, the ‘Zuchong’ quantum computer developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences achieved 255 qubits by the end of 2025, quickly narrowing the technological gap with Western companies. In Japan, Fujitsu and NTT’s jointly developed quantum annealing system has achieved significant results in logistics optimization, accelerating its practical application.
Korea’s quantum computing technology development is also accelerating. SK Hynix announced in December 2025 that it had successfully developed special memory technology for quantum computing, essential for stable storage and processing of quantum information. Additionally, the Quantum Computing Research Center, jointly established by KAIST and Seoul National University, announced the successful development of a 50-qubit prototype in January 2026. This marks the first domestically developed technology with commercialization potential, serving as a significant milestone in enhancing Korea’s quantum computing technology independence.
The competition to build a software ecosystem is also intensifying. The number of users of quantum programming platforms developed by each company, such as IBM’s Qiskit, Google’s Cirq, and Microsoft’s Q#, is rapidly increasing. As of the end of 2025, Qiskit had surpassed 450,000 monthly active users, a 120% increase from the same period the previous year. This expansion of the developer ecosystem is a key driver accelerating the development of quantum computing applications.
The application of quantum computing in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries is also becoming more pronounced. Switzerland’s Roche, in collaboration with IBM, reported a 60% reduction in computation time for molecular simulations in drug development using quantum algorithms compared to traditional methods. Additionally, Germany’s BASF achieved a 30% reduction in the development period for new chemical processes by optimizing catalyst design using quantum computing. These case studies are concrete evidence of the industrial applicability of quantum computing.
Investment Trends and Market Outlook
Investments in the quantum computing sector by venture capital and corporate investors are significantly increasing. According to the latest data from PitchBook, global investments in quantum computing startups reached $3.4 billion in 2025, an 85% increase from the previous year. Notably, investments in the growth stage (Series B and beyond) increased more significantly than early-stage (seed, Series A) investments, indicating that quantum computing technology is beginning to demonstrate tangible business value as it approaches commercialization.
A representative investment case is the British quantum computing startup Oxford Quantum Computing, which raised $230 million in a Series C round in December 2025. The company claims to achieve processing speeds ten times faster than existing technologies through its proprietary quantum processor architecture, aiming to launch commercial services by the end of 2026. Additionally, Canada’s Xanadu secured $180 million in investments in the photonic quantum computing field, expanding its cloud-based quantum computing services.
In Korea, investments related to quantum computing are also becoming active. A 20 billion won investment in the quantum software startup Quantum Gate, led by Korea Investment Partners, was completed in November 2025, marking the largest investment in the domestic quantum computing sector. Additionally, under the government’s ‘K-Quantum Initiative 2.0,’ 1.2 trillion won will be invested in quantum technology development over the next five years, with 40% focused on the quantum computing sector.
Market experts predict that the growth rate of the quantum computing market will exceed existing forecasts. Gartner’s latest report predicts that the quantum computing market will grow at an average annual rate of 32% to reach $65 billion by 2030, a 44% increase from the 2024 forecast of $45 billion. The growth of the quantum software and services sectors is expected to outpace hardware, with the 2030 market composition projected to be 35% hardware, 40% software, and 25% services.
However, several challenges exist in the process of quantum computing commercialization. The most significant issue is the shortage of quantum specialists. According to a McKinsey survey, there are currently about 25,000 quantum computing specialists worldwide, but at least 150,000 will be needed by 2030. This shortage of personnel is a major factor constraining the pace of technological advancement and commercialization. Additionally, the cost of maintaining the cryogenic environment required for operating quantum computers remains high. The latest IBM quantum computer operating costs are around $15 million annually, a major consideration for companies deciding to adopt quantum computing.
Security and standardization issues are also critical challenges. The advancement of quantum computing exposes the vulnerabilities of existing encryption methods, increasing the need for the development of Post-Quantum Cryptography. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced a post-quantum cryptography standard in 2024, but significant time is expected before it is applied in the industry. Additionally, the lack of standardization in quantum computing hardware and software poses a risk of companies becoming dependent on specific vendors.
Despite these challenges, the long-term outlook for the quantum computing market is very positive. The synergy effect from combining with artificial intelligence is particularly noteworthy. In the field of Quantum Machine Learning, there are already reports of dramatically reducing training times for existing AI models, evaluated as a key technology driving the next innovation in the AI industry. Additionally, the potential use of quantum computing in sustainability-related fields, such as carbon capture technology and improving renewable energy efficiency, is attracting significant attention, expected to be a new driving force for market growth.
*This analysis is for informational purposes only and is not intended as investment solicitation or advice. Investment decisions should be made at one’s own discretion and responsibility.
