The Rapid Growth and Commercialization Turning Point of the Quantum Computing Market in 2026
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Explosive Growth and Accelerated Commercialization of the Quantum Computing Market
As of January 2026, the quantum computing market is experiencing unprecedented growth, transitioning from theoretical research to practical applications. According to the latest report from global market research firm IDC, the global quantum computing market size reached $1.5 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow by 42% year-over-year to $2.1 billion in 2026. Notably, the market is projected to expand to $10.7 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 38.2%.
This rapid growth is driven by technological breakthroughs aimed at achieving Quantum Advantage. In December 2025, Google’s new quantum processor ‘Willow’ at its California headquarters completed calculations in just 5 minutes that would take a traditional supercomputer 10^25 years, shocking the industry. This achievement marks a turning point where quantum computing is seen as a practical tool rather than a distant future technology. IBM, headquartered in New York, also announced the commercialization of its ‘Condor’ processor with over 1,000 qubits in Q4 2025, leading the quantum computing performance race.
Investments in quantum technology by Korean companies are also gaining momentum. Samsung Electronics, headquartered in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, announced in November 2025 the establishment of a ‘Quantum Computing Research Center’ within Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, with plans to invest 1 trillion won over the next five years. Samsung is focusing on developing silicon quantum processors based on quantum dots, leveraging existing semiconductor manufacturing processes to aim for commercial-grade quantum chip releases by 2027. SK Telecom, based in Seoul, launched its commercial quantum cryptography communication (QKD) service in December 2025, leading the domestic quantum communication market.
One of the key drivers of accelerated quantum computing commercialization is the proliferation of cloud-based quantum computing services. Amazon’s AWS, headquartered in Seattle, Washington, provided quantum computing access to over 2,000 companies and research institutions worldwide through its ‘Braket’ service as of Q4 2025, with the number of user companies increasing by 180% year-over-year. Microsoft’s ‘Azure Quantum’ platform, based in Redmond, Washington, recorded annual revenues of $250 million in 2025, showing a 220% growth from the previous year.
Expansion of Quantum Applications Across Industries and Real-World Success Stories
The practical application of quantum computing is expanding across various industries, including finance, pharmaceuticals, logistics, and energy. In the financial services sector, quantum computing’s effectiveness in portfolio optimization and risk analysis is being demonstrated. Goldman Sachs, headquartered in New York, implemented a derivative pricing system using IBM’s quantum network from Q3 2025, reducing calculation time by 75% compared to previous methods. JP Morgan, also based in New York, announced that its proprietary quantum algorithm generated an additional $1.2 billion in annual revenue through loan portfolio optimization.
The use of quantum computing in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors is rapidly expanding. Roche, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, collaborated with Google’s Quantum AI in August 2025 to introduce quantum simulations into the drug development process, reducing molecular interaction analysis time from six months to two weeks. This led to an average 30% reduction in drug development costs, accelerating the adoption of quantum technology in the pharmaceutical industry. In South Korea, Samsung Biologics began pilot applications of quantum computing for protein folding predictions in November 2025.
In logistics and supply chain optimization, quantum computing is delivering tangible results. Volkswagen, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany, used D-Wave Systems’ quantum annealing system from the first half of 2025 for a traffic optimization project in Beijing, achieving a 23% reduction in average travel time. In South Korea, CJ Logistics announced in September 2025 that it had improved delivery efficiency by 18% by implementing a quantum algorithm-based delivery route optimization system.
In the energy sector, quantum computing is bringing innovation to renewable energy grid management and battery material development. Ford, headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, collaborated with IonQ, based in Maryland, in October 2025 to apply quantum simulations to optimize electric vehicle battery performance, completing a new lithium-ion battery design that improves battery capacity by 15%. This technology is set to be applied to Ford’s new electric vehicle models scheduled for release in the second half of 2026.
The growth of specialized quantum computing companies is also noteworthy. IonQ, listed on NASDAQ, recorded annual revenues of $62 million in 2025, an 89% increase from the previous year, and achieved its first quarterly profit with Q4 revenues of $21 million. Rigetti Computing, headquartered in California, also saw its 2025 revenues grow by 156% to $28 million, driven by government contracts and an expanding corporate client base.
Technical Challenges and Future Outlook
Despite the rapid growth of the quantum computing market, there are still technical challenges to overcome. The most significant issues are the Quantum Error Rate and Coherence Time limitations. The current error rate of commercial quantum computers is between 0.1-1%, and the industry consensus is that it needs to be reduced to below 0.001% for practical applications. IBM announced in its December 2025 roadmap that it aims to commercialize ‘Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing (FTQC)’ technology by 2027, reducing the error rate to 0.0001%.
The shortage of quantum talent is also a constraint on market growth. According to a 2025 report by global consulting firm McKinsey, the global quantum computing workforce is estimated at around 25,000, but at least 180,000 will be needed by 2030. Consequently, major companies are actively investing in talent development through collaborations with universities. Google announced in November 2025 plans to expand quantum education programs with 50 universities worldwide, and Samsung Electronics launched a five-year project with KAIST and Seoul National University to cultivate quantum specialists.
Regulatory and standardization issues are also crucial variables in the development of the quantum computing market. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced the final ‘Post-Quantum Cryptography Standard’ in August 2025, a new security standard to counter the decryption capabilities of quantum computers. The European Union also announced the ‘Quantum Technology Regulatory Framework’ in October 2025, providing guidelines for the safe commercialization of quantum computing. The South Korean government enacted the ‘Quantum Information Technology Promotion and Support Act’ in December 2025, establishing a legal foundation for quantum technology development and commercialization.
From an investment perspective, the quantum computing sector is expected to continue its growth in 2026. Venture capital investment reached $3.2 billion in 2025, a 67% increase from the previous year, and is projected to exceed $5 billion in 2026. Investment in quantum software and algorithms is particularly surging, as the maturity of hardware technology increases the importance of developing practical applications. The quantum computing market is expected to shift from a research and development focus to a commercial application focus in 2026, leading to improved profitability and increased market value for related companies.
Over the next five years, the key growth drivers of the quantum computing market are expected to be the expansion of cloud services, the development of industry-specific solutions, and the commercialization of quantum-classical hybrid systems. In particular, Korean companies have the opportunity to secure global competitiveness in the quantum hardware and networking sectors, leveraging their existing strengths in semiconductor and communication technologies. 2026 is anticipated to be a turning point where quantum computing transitions from a future technology to a practical business tool.
*This analysis is based on publicly available market information and industry reports, and additional expert consultation is recommended for investment decisions.*
