The Quantum Computing Revolution: Next-Generation Computing Technology Reaches Commercialization Threshold by 2025
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The Turning Point of Quantum Computing Commercialization, 2025
As of December 2025, the quantum computing industry is transitioning from the experimental phase to a critical period demonstrating its commercial viability. McKinsey forecasts that the global quantum computing market will grow by 38.5%, from $1.3 billion in 2024 to $1.8 billion by the end of 2025, and is expected to reach $85 billion by 2030 with an annual growth rate of 32%. This rapid growth is driven by improvements in hardware stability and innovative advancements in error correction technology.
Notably, the successful commercialization of IBM’s (New York headquarters) 1,121-qubit ‘Condor’ processor announced in the first half of 2025, and Google’s (California headquarters) ‘Willow’ chip completing calculations in 10 minutes that would take 10^25 years on a conventional supercomputer, have become industry milestones. Quantum supremacy has moved beyond mere laboratory proof to a stage of creating tangible business value. IBM’s quantum network currently includes over 200 companies and research institutions worldwide, with cumulative quantum computing usage exceeding one million hours annually by 2025.
Interest and investment in quantum technology are also surging in the Korean market. The government announced plans to invest 2 trillion won over the next decade through the ‘K-Quantum Initiative’ by 2025, aiming for technological independence in quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum sensing. Samsung Electronics (Gyeonggi-do Suwon headquarters) unveiled a prototype of its self-developed quantum processor ‘QSAM-1’ in October 2025, targeting commercialization by 2027. SK Telecom (Seoul headquarters) began pilot operations of quantum cryptography communication (QKD) commercial services for the financial sector in December 2025.
The core principle of quantum computing leverages the quantum mechanical property that allows qubits to exist in a superposition of 0 and 1 states, unlike traditional computers that can only have a state of 0 or 1. This enables the simultaneous processing of 2^n states with n qubits, offering exponential performance improvements over conventional computers for specific problems. The number of qubits in currently commercialized quantum computers stands at 1,121 for IBM, 70 for Google, and 144 for the University of Science and Technology of China’s ‘Jiuzhang’.
Global Competitive Landscape and Technological Paradigm Shift
The competitive landscape of the quantum computing market is primarily divided into hardware manufacturers, cloud service providers, and software developers. In the hardware sector, IBM leads the market with superconducting technology, holding a 32% market share of the quantum computing hardware market as of 2025. Google follows with an 18% share using a hybrid approach of superconducting and photonic technology. Microsoft (Washington headquarters) is focusing on topological qubit technology, aiming for commercialization by 2026, and is currently building a software ecosystem through its Azure Quantum cloud service.
Amazon (Washington headquarters) announced in August 2025 that it significantly improved accessibility to quantum computing through its AWS Braket service. It reduced the hourly usage fee by 40% to $0.3 and began offering a simulator service for quantum algorithm development for free. As a result, the number of AWS Braket users increased by 250% compared to the first half of 2025, surpassing 15,000. Intel (California headquarters) is emphasizing compatibility with existing semiconductor manufacturing processes through its silicon-based quantum chip ‘Horse Ridge III’ as a differentiating factor.
China is narrowing the technological gap with the United States in the quantum technology field through large-scale national investments. The Chinese Academy of Sciences developed the photonic-based quantum computer ‘Jiuzhang’, successfully manipulating 144 photons simultaneously by 2025, demonstrating performance 10^24 times faster than conventional supercomputers for specific computational problems. The Chinese government announced plans to invest $15 billion in quantum technology from 2021 to 2030, with $11.7 billion, or 78% of the plan, already executed.
The European Union (EU) has been promoting the establishment of a quantum technology ecosystem since 2018 through the ‘Quantum Flagship’ program, investing 1 billion euros over ten years. Germany’s IBM Quantum Network Hub serves as a central hub for quantum computing research in Europe, while France’s Pasqal is attempting a differentiated approach with atom-based quantum computers. The UK’s Oxford Instruments maintains a dominant position with a 70% market share in the dilution refrigerator market for quantum computers.
Japan formed a consortium with major companies like NTT, Fujitsu, and NEC through the ‘Quantum Moonshot Program’ by 2025. NTT, in particular, focused on developing photonic-based quantum computers and launched a 32-qubit system cloud service by the end of 2025. Fujitsu provides specialized services for solving combinatorial optimization problems through its quantum simulator ‘Digital Annealer’, with 300 companies in Japan utilizing it by 2025.
In Korea, Samsung Electronics announced in November 2025 that it had independently developed cryogenic processing technology necessary for manufacturing superconducting qubits for quantum computers. This is a significant advancement in reducing dependence on IBM and Google’s previously monopolized superconducting qubit manufacturing technology. SK Telecom possesses world-class technology in the field of quantum cryptography communication and completed the construction of a 600km quantum cryptography communication network between Seoul and Busan in 2025, the second longest single-section quantum cryptography communication network in the world.
Industry Applications and Future Prospects
The practical applications of quantum computing are broadly categorized into optimization, simulation, machine learning, and encryption. In the financial services sector, the effectiveness of quantum computing is being demonstrated in portfolio optimization and risk analysis. JP Morgan Chase announced that it reduced the time required for derivative pricing by 85% using IBM’s quantum computer in 2025. Goldman Sachs improved the accuracy of credit risk calculations by 15% through quantum Monte Carlo simulations.
In the pharmaceutical industry, quantum computing is being applied to molecular simulations and protein structure analysis in drug development processes. Roche reported that, in collaboration with Google in 2025, it reduced the time for candidate substance exploration by 60% in developing Alzheimer’s treatments using quantum computing. Biogen improved the accuracy of protein folding predictions by 30% through IBM’s quantum network. These achievements show the potential to reduce drug development costs from an average of $2 billion to $1.5 billion.
The use of quantum computing is also expanding in logistics and supply chain management. Volkswagen successfully completed a traffic optimization project in Lisbon using D-Wave’s quantum computer in 2025, reducing average travel time by 23% and fuel consumption by 18% by optimizing the routes of 418 buses and taxis in real-time. Amazon applied quantum algorithms to optimize robot paths in warehouses, improving logistics processing speed by 35%.
In the energy sector, quantum computing is being used for renewable energy generation forecasting and power grid optimization. The Enel Group, in collaboration with IBM, improved the accuracy of solar power generation forecasts by 12%, achieving an annual cost-saving effect of 200 million euros. Korea Electric Power Corporation, together with SK Telecom, has embarked on developing quantum algorithms for smart grid optimization, targeting commercialization by 2026.
In the field of cybersecurity, quantum computing poses a threat to existing encryption systems while simultaneously providing new security solutions. The widely used RSA-2048 encryption is estimated to be decryptable within about 8 hours using a quantum computer, prompting active development of post-quantum cryptography. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced three post-quantum cryptography standards in August 2024, with major IT companies developing security solutions based on these standards.
From an investment perspective, the quantum computing market holds significant growth potential along with considerable technological risks. Venture capital investment increased by 45% year-on-year to $2.3 billion in 2025, with 47% focused on quantum software and algorithm development startups. Major investors include Google Ventures, Intel Capital, and Samsung Ventures, which are building portfolios across the quantum computing ecosystem.
However, significant technical barriers still exist for the commercialization of quantum computing. The current error rate of quantum computers is between 0.1-1%, and the consensus in the industry is that it needs to be reduced to below 0.0001% for practical use. Additionally, the cost of maintaining the cryogenic environment required for operating quantum computers exceeds $1 million annually, making economic viability a crucial challenge. The shortage of quantum programming talent is also a serious issue, with fewer than 5,000 professionals worldwide estimated to be capable of developing quantum algorithms.
Over the next five years, the quantum computing market is expected to shift its focus from hardware to software and services. IDC predicts that by 2030, the software and services sector will account for 65% of the quantum computing market. The growth of quantum cloud services is expected to be particularly prominent, as it provides accessibility to quantum computing technology without the high costs of hardware construction. In the Korean market, companies like Samsung SDS and LG CNS are considering entering the quantum cloud service sector, raising expectations for the expansion of the domestic quantum computing ecosystem.
