Acceleration of Commercialization Competition in the Quantum Computing Industry: Market Turning Point in 2025 and Investment Outlook
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The quantum computing industry is approaching a decisive turning point towards commercialization in 2025. According to the latest report from the McKinsey Global Institute, the global quantum computing market is projected to grow rapidly from $1.8 billion in 2024 to $125 billion by 2030, with an estimated annual growth rate of 98.3%. This explosive growth is driven by technological breakthroughs such as IBM’s 1,121-qubit ‘Condor’ processor and Google’s ‘Willow’ chip, particularly in error correction capabilities. Industry experts consider 2025 as the ‘Quantum Advantage’ year, marking the transition of quantum computing from laboratory experiments to solving real business problems.
Currently, U.S. companies are leading the technological forefront of the quantum computing market, each pursuing differentiation through various approaches. IBM, headquartered in Armonk, New York, is offering quantum computing as a cloud service through its ‘Quantum Network’ strategy based on superconducting qubits, with over 200 companies and research institutions worldwide participating in the IBM Quantum Network. Meanwhile, Google, based in Mountain View, California, is focused on achieving ‘quantum supremacy,’ demonstrating with its Willow chip, announced in December 2024, the ability to perform calculations in 5 minutes that would take billions of years on conventional supercomputers. Microsoft is aiming for a competitive edge in stability through its unique approach with topological qubits and is concentrating on building a hardware-independent software ecosystem via its Azure Quantum platform.
In Asia, South Korea and China are actively engaging in the development of quantum computing technologies. Samsung Electronics began investing heavily in semiconductor manufacturing technology for quantum processors in the latter half of 2024, aiming to leverage its foundry business expertise to secure mass production technology for quantum chips. SK Hynix is also investing $200 million annually in developing quantum memory technology, focusing particularly on special memory solutions that operate in cryogenic environments. In China, tech giants like Alibaba and Baidu are investing $5 billion annually in quantum computing R&D with strong government support, achieving significant technological advancements especially in quantum communication and encryption.
Acceleration of Quantum Computing Adoption in Financial Services and Pharmaceutical Industries
The fastest commercialization of quantum computing is occurring in the financial services and pharmaceutical industries. Goldman Sachs has been piloting a portfolio optimization algorithm using the IBM Quantum Network since October 2024, achieving a 1,000-fold improvement in risk calculation speed compared to traditional computers. JPMorgan Chase is investing $150 million annually in developing high-frequency trading algorithms using quantum computing, aiming to launch commercial services in the second half of 2025. Quantum computing’s impact is particularly notable in complex financial modeling such as Monte Carlo simulations, reducing calculation time by 90% while significantly improving accuracy compared to traditional methods.
In the pharmaceutical industry, the use of quantum computing in drug development is rapidly expanding. Roche and Biogen have partnered with IBM to introduce quantum computing in molecular simulation, achieving results 10 times faster in protein folding prediction compared to traditional methodologies. Pfizer signed a three-year research collaboration agreement worth $200 million with Google Quantum AI in 2024, focusing on discovering new drug candidates through quantum chemistry simulations. Industry analysis suggests that utilizing quantum computing could reduce drug development time from the current 10-15 years to 5-7 years, significantly enhancing R&D efficiency in the pharmaceutical sector.
Applications of quantum computing are also increasing in logistics and supply chain optimization. German automaker Volkswagen has been using D-Wave Systems’ quantum annealing computers for traffic flow optimization since early 2024, achieving a 20% reduction in traffic congestion in pilot projects conducted in Lisbon and Beijing. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is providing logistics optimization solutions through its Braket quantum computing service, with over 50 global logistics companies currently utilizing the service. Quantum computing’s superiority is demonstrated in solving complex multivariable optimization problems, showing substantial cost-saving effects in areas such as delivery route optimization, warehouse management, and inventory forecasting.
Technical Challenges and Investment Outlook
Despite the rapid growth of the quantum computing industry, there are still technical challenges to overcome. The biggest issues are the stability and error rates of qubits. The coherence time of qubits in current commercial quantum computers is around 100 microseconds, which still limits the execution of complex algorithms. According to IBM’s latest research, practical quantum computing requires reducing error rates from the current 0.1% to 0.0001%, necessitating continuous technological development over the next 3-5 years. Additionally, the complexity and high operational costs of cryogenic cooling systems pose obstacles to commercialization. Operating one IBM quantum system currently costs about $15 million annually, with 60% of the cost attributed to cooling system operations.
Nevertheless, venture capital and government investments in the quantum computing sector continue to expand. In 2024, global investments in quantum computing startups reached $2.4 billion, a 45% increase from the previous year. Investments in quantum software and algorithm development companies are surging, with companies like Cambridge Quantum Computing, Rigetti Computing, and IonQ each securing over $100 million in funding. The U.S. government plans to invest $12.5 billion in quantum technology R&D over the next five years through the National Quantum Initiative, while the European Union has allocated a budget of €10 billion through the Quantum Flagship program. China has designated quantum computing as a core strategic technology in its 14th Five-Year Plan for 2024, investing $8 billion annually in government budgets.
The competition to secure quantum computing talent is also intensifying. Currently, there are an estimated 7,000 quantum computing specialists worldwide, and the industry anticipates needing at least 50,000 professionals by 2030. Major tech companies are offering attractive packages with salaries exceeding $500,000 for quantum computing researchers and are actively engaging in academia-industry collaborations for talent development. Leading universities like MIT, Stanford, and Oxford have established specialized degree programs in quantum computing, and IBM is operating quantum network education programs with 140 universities worldwide. In South Korea, institutions like KAIST, Seoul National University, and POSTECH have established quantum computing research centers and are focusing on training specialized personnel with government support.
The future outlook for the quantum computing industry is highly optimistic. Gartner evaluates 2025 as the ‘Peak of Inflated Expectations’ for quantum computing but anticipates that substantial business value creation will begin around 2027-2028. Quantum advantage is expected to be clearly demonstrated in fields such as encryption, optimization, and simulation, leading to the formation of new business models and industrial ecosystems. According to BCG’s analysis, the economic value generated by quantum computing is estimated to reach $850 billion annually by 2035, with 40% expected from financial services, 30% from pharmaceuticals and chemicals, and 20% from logistics and manufacturing. For investors, the timing of quantum computing commercialization and market share acquisition capabilities will be key investment indicators, with greater investment opportunities anticipated in software and algorithm sectors rather than hardware.
*This analysis is provided for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as investment advice or recommendations. All investment decisions should be made based on individual judgment and responsibility.*
