Acceleration of the Quantum Computing Commercialization Race: Expansion of Practical Applications and Market Restructuring by 2026
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Turning Point in the Quantum Computing Market: From Experimentation to Commercialization
As of early 2026, the quantum computing industry is at a historical turning point. Quantum technology, which has been primarily handled by research labs and universities over the past decade, is now being utilized as a tool for solving real business problems. According to the latest report from market research firm IDC, the global quantum computing market size is projected to reach $2.4 billion by 2026, marking a 200% increase from $800 million in 2024. Notably, the market is experiencing rapid growth in software and services, which were previously hardware-centric. The quantum software market alone is expected to reach $700 million by 2026, accounting for 29% of the total market.
This transformation is driven by technological breakthroughs from major companies. IBM, headquartered in Armonk, New York, announced in December 2025 that its ‘Condor’ quantum processor achieved 1,121 qubits, a 2.6-fold improvement over the previous 433-qubit ‘Osprey’ chip. More importantly, the error rate has decreased to below 0.1%, a critical threshold for practical quantum applications. Alphabet, Google’s parent company based in Mountain View, California, also announced significant advancements in quantum error correction technology with its ‘Willow’ chip by the end of 2025. Google’s Quantum AI team officially confirmed achieving ‘below threshold’ where the error rate decreases as the number of qubits increases.
Rapid progress is also being made in the Asian market. Baidu, headquartered in Beijing, announced in November 2025 the commercialization of financial portfolio optimization services through its quantum platform ‘Qurion.’ In a pilot project with China Construction Bank, one of China’s four major state-owned banks, Baidu reported a 47% reduction in portfolio optimization speed compared to classical computing. In South Korea, Samsung Electronics, headquartered in Suwon, announced in October 2025 its entry into quantum chip manufacturing services through its foundry division, signing initial contracts with three quantum startups in the U.S. and Europe. The industry expects Samsung to significantly improve the mass production and stability of quantum chips by leveraging its existing semiconductor manufacturing expertise.
Expansion of Applications Across Industries and Diversification of Business Models
Practical applications of quantum computing are materializing across various industries. In the financial services sector, the fastest adoption is occurring in risk analysis and algorithmic trading. Goldman Sachs has been piloting a derivative pricing system using IBM’s quantum network since September 2025, reporting a 65% reduction in computation time compared to traditional Monte Carlo simulations. The superiority of quantum algorithms is particularly evident in complex multivariate option pricing. JP Morgan Chase is also developing portfolio optimization and credit risk assessment models through its own quantum research team, aiming for commercialization in the second half of 2026.
Applications in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries are also accelerating. Roche, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is collaborating with IBM on a project utilizing quantum computing for molecular simulations in drug development. They reported a more than tenfold improvement in accuracy over existing supercomputers in predicting protein folding for Alzheimer’s treatment candidates. Bayer in Germany has introduced quantum technology in crop protection development through a partnership with Google’s Quantum AI, reducing the design time for new pesticide molecules from 18 months to 6 months. These achievements have a direct impact on reducing R&D costs and accelerating development in the pharmaceutical industry.
The practicality of quantum computing is also being demonstrated in logistics and supply chain optimization. DHL, headquartered in Bonn, Germany, has been piloting a delivery route optimization system using Microsoft’s Azure Quantum platform at major hubs in Europe since the summer of 2025. They achieved a 17% improvement in efficiency over existing algorithms in solving the Vehicle Routing Problem under complex multi-constraint conditions. Alibaba in China also applied quantum algorithms to logistics optimization during the Double 11 (Singles’ Day) period through its own quantum research lab, reducing nationwide delivery times by an average of 8%.
In the automotive industry, quantum computing is being utilized in autonomous driving technology and battery material development. BMW, headquartered in Munich, Germany, is conducting research applying quantum algorithms to traffic flow optimization and autonomous driving route planning, achieving a 23% performance improvement in real-time route optimization in complex urban environments compared to traditional methods. Hyundai Motor Group in South Korea has introduced quantum simulation in battery material research, achieving a breakthrough in the design of ion conductors for next-generation solid-state batteries. This is expected to directly contribute to improving the energy density and reducing the charging time of electric vehicle batteries.
From a business model perspective, the diversification of quantum computing services is becoming prominent. The focus is shifting from initial hardware leasing to quantum software licensing, consulting services, and hybrid classical-quantum solutions. Microsoft, headquartered in Redmond, Washington, has established a ‘Quantum-as-a-Service’ model through Azure Quantum, with 8,500 corporate subscribers as of the fourth quarter of 2025. The average monthly subscription fee varies from $5,000 to $500,000 depending on the company size, accounting for 3.2% of total Azure revenue. This indicates that Microsoft is generating approximately $800 million in annual revenue through quantum computing.
IBM is pursuing a strategy to expand its partner ecosystem by building a quantum network. Currently, over 200 companies and research institutions worldwide participate in the IBM Quantum Network, with quantum computing workload processing through the network exceeding 1.5 million tasks per month as of 2025. IBM’s quantum division recorded $420 million in revenue in 2025, a 78% increase from the previous year. Notably, quantum software and service revenue accounted for 60% of the total, significantly reducing hardware dependency.
In the cloud-based quantum service market, competition is intensifying among Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and IBM. Amazon’s AWS Braket service was utilized by over 1,200 organizations worldwide as of 2025, offering integrated access to various quantum hardware platforms as a differentiating factor. Google is expanding quantum services through Google Cloud, leveraging the technological superiority of its own quantum hardware, with particular strengths in quantum machine learning and optimization algorithms.
The startup ecosystem is also experiencing robust growth. D-Wave, headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, specializes in providing services focused on quantum annealing technology, concentrating on solving optimization problems. As of 2025, D-Wave’s cloud service was utilized by over 500 organizations in 40 countries worldwide, achieving practical outcomes particularly in traffic optimization, financial portfolio management, and manufacturing scheduling. IonQ, headquartered in Boston, USA, is developing quantum computers based on trapped ion technology, raising $150 million through a Nasdaq listing in 2025. IonQ’s quantum systems are noted for their high accuracy and stability, gaining attention in the finance and pharmaceutical sectors.
In the Chinese market, large-scale government-led investments continue. China’s Ministry of Science and Technology announced a total investment of $1.2 billion in the quantum computing sector for 2025, a 40% increase from the previous year. Quantum technology research hubs are being established in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, with the goal of commercializing practical quantum computers by 2030. Origin Quantum in China announced its self-developed 72-qubit superconducting quantum computer in 2025, providing quantum computing services to Chinese companies through cloud services.
With the growth of the quantum computing market, competition for talent acquisition is also intensifying. The demand for quantum experts is surging, significantly raising salary levels. The average salary for quantum software engineers in the U.S. ranges from $180,000 to $350,000, with many quantum algorithm researchers holding PhDs earning over $500,000. Major companies are actively investing in talent development through partnerships with universities, with IBM operating quantum education programs with 140 universities worldwide.
Progress is also being made in regulatory environments and standardization efforts. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced quantum computing security standards in 2025, and the European Union has also begun preparing a regulatory framework for quantum technology. Concerns have been raised about the potential threat to the security of existing encryption systems due to the development of quantum encryption technology, making the development and standardization of Post-Quantum Cryptography an urgent task. This is creating new market opportunities alongside the advancement of quantum computing technology, accelerating a paradigm shift in the cybersecurity industry. Currently, the quantum computing market is experiencing simultaneous progress in technological maturity and the expansion of practical applications, with explosive growth expected over the next 3-5 years.
Disclaimer: This analysis is based on publicly available information and is not intended as investment advice or decision-making guidance. Quantum computing is an emerging technology field with high volatility and uncertainty. Please seek expert advice for investment or business decisions.
