Acceleration of Quantum Computing Commercialization Competition: Market Dynamics and Investment Opportunities by 2025
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Turning Point in the Quantum Computing Market: Commercialization Competition Intensifies in 2025
As the quantum computing industry moves beyond the experimental phase into the commercialization competition stage in 2025, global tech companies are fiercely competing in investment and development. According to market research firm IDC, the global quantum computing market size is expected to reach $1.2 billion (approximately 1.6 trillion KRW) in 2025 and expand to $5 billion by 2030 with an average annual growth rate of 32.1%. This rapid growth is driven by the practical applicability of quantum computing in various fields such as encryption, drug development, financial modeling, and artificial intelligence.
IBM, headquartered in New York, announced in December 2024 that it achieved 1,121 qubits with the “IBM Quantum Heron” processor, bringing it one step closer to achieving Quantum Advantage. IBM’s quantum network currently includes over 200 companies, government agencies, and research institutions worldwide, with 40% being Fortune 500 companies. Notably, IBM aims to build a 4,000-qubit system by the first half of 2025, maintaining its lead in the commercialization race.
Google (Alphabet), headquartered in Mountain View, California, announced in early December that it had achieved a breakthrough in quantum error correction with its self-developed “Willow” chip. Google’s Willow chip uses 105 physical qubits to halve the error rate of logical qubits compared to previous levels, marking a significant milestone in the commercial viability of essential error correction technology for practical quantum computing. Google has set a roadmap targeting 1 million physical qubits by 2030 and is investing $2 billion annually through its Quantum AI lab.
Technological Breakthroughs and Diversification of Commercialization Strategies
The core of quantum computing technology lies in the stability and scalability of qubits, and as of 2025, major companies are addressing this issue through different technological approaches. Microsoft, based in Redmond, Washington, is focusing on topological qubit technology and commercializing quantum computing services through its Azure Quantum cloud platform. Unlike other companies, Microsoft’s approach utilizes topological qubits that are more resistant to errors, pursuing long-term stability, and is currently building a $1.5 billion quantum ecosystem with its partners.
Intel, based in Santa Clara, California, is concentrating on silicon-based spin qubit technology, emphasizing compatibility with existing semiconductor manufacturing processes. Intel’s “Horse Ridge” cryogenic control chip controls quantum processors at an ultra-low temperature of -273 degrees and is being produced using a 22-nanometer process as of 2025. This offers a competitive edge in cost efficiency and scalability by leveraging existing semiconductor infrastructure.
Korean companies are also playing a crucial role in the quantum computing ecosystem. Samsung Electronics, headquartered in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, possesses semiconductor materials and process technologies related to quantum dot technology and has begun developing special memory for quantum computing from the second half of 2024. Samsung plans to invest 500 billion KRW in quantum computing R&D by 2025, particularly securing competitiveness in peripheral devices and control systems for quantum processors. SK Hynix, based in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, is also investing in developing cryogenic memory technology for quantum computing, aiming to release a prototype by the first half of 2025.
ASML, headquartered in Veldhoven, Netherlands, supplies extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment necessary for manufacturing quantum computing chips, serving as the core infrastructure for quantum hardware manufacturing. ASML’s latest EUV equipment can manufacture quantum chips with a precision of less than 3 nanometers, directly contributing to the performance enhancement of quantum computing hardware.
Real-world commercialization cases are also rapidly increasing. German chemical company BASF is collaborating with IBM on a catalyst development project using quantum computing, announcing a 15% improvement in the efficiency of the ammonia production process. American financial company Goldman Sachs achieved a 100-fold increase in the calculation speed of its risk analysis model using Google’s quantum system. These practical achievements demonstrate that quantum computing is no longer confined to the research phase and is creating real business value.
The quantum computing cloud service market is also rapidly growing. Representative services include Amazon Braket by AWS, Azure Quantum by Microsoft, and IBM’s Quantum Network, allowing small and medium-sized enterprises and research institutions to access quantum computing technology. Market research firm Gartner predicts that the quantum cloud service market will grow by 85% year-on-year to $350 million in 2025.
However, there are still many challenges to overcome in the commercialization of quantum computing. The biggest issue is that the coherence time of qubits remains short. Even the highest-performing quantum systems currently only maintain qubit stability for a few milliseconds, limiting their ability to perform complex calculations. Additionally, a ratio of 1000:1 between physical and logical qubits is required for quantum error correction, which is difficult to achieve with current technology.
Cost is also a major hurdle for commercialization. Operating a quantum computer currently requires a cryogenic cooling system using helium-3, with operating costs reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Furthermore, there is a shortage of specialized personnel for developing quantum algorithms, with fewer than 10,000 quantum computing experts estimated worldwide.
Nevertheless, investor interest continues to grow. From January to November 2025, global quantum computing startups attracted a total of $1.8 billion in investment, a 45% increase compared to the same period last year. Investment is particularly concentrated in the fields of quantum software and algorithm development, highlighting the importance of building a software ecosystem alongside hardware technology advancements for commercialization.
Government support is also expanding. The United States is investing $1.2 billion through the National Quantum Initiative by 2025, and China has announced a $15 billion quantum technology investment plan by 2030. The European Union is investing 1 billion euros through the Quantum Flagship program, and the Korean government plans to invest 1 trillion KRW by 2030 through the K-Quantum Initiative.
Applications across industries are diversifying. In the pharmaceutical industry, quantum computing is expected to reduce the development period for molecular simulations in drug development from the current 10-15 years to 5-7 years. In the financial industry, it is used for portfolio optimization and risk analysis, while in the logistics industry, it is applied to optimal route search and supply chain optimization. In the cybersecurity field, it is expected to bring a paradigm shift by potentially rendering existing encryption methods obsolete while enabling the establishment of new security systems through quantum encryption.
The competitive landscape of the quantum computing market is multi-layered, encompassing hardware, software, and cloud services. In the hardware sector, IBM, Google, and Microsoft form the leading group, each pursuing differentiation through different technological approaches. In the software sector, the development of quantum algorithms and simulation tools is key, with active participation from both existing IT giants and specialized startups.
Over the next 2-3 years, investment patterns in the quantum computing market are expected to change significantly depending on technological breakthroughs and commercialization achievements. In particular, the practical implementation of quantum error correction technology will be a key variable for market growth, and the company that achieves this first is likely to secure market leadership. Furthermore, demonstrating clear quantum advantage in specific application areas is analyzed to be the starting point for large-scale commercialization. For investors, companies with technological leadership, practical application cases, and sustainable business models are expected to be the most attractive long-term investment targets.
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