The Year of Quantum Computing Commercialization: A Major Technological Shift in 2026
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As of February 2026, the quantum computing industry is transitioning from theoretical possibilities to practical commercialization, heralding disruptive innovations across the technology ecosystem. IBM, based in New York, announced its 1,121-qubit ‘IBM Quantum Condor’ processor late last year, while Google’s ‘Willow’ quantum chip, based in California, achieved computational speeds 10 to the power of 25 times faster than conventional supercomputers, capturing the industry’s attention. These technological breakthroughs are proving the practicality of quantum computing in real business environments, beyond mere research achievements.
The global quantum computing market size is estimated to be approximately $1.8 billion in 2026, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 32.8%, projected to grow to $6.4 billion by 2030. Notably, the initial hardware-centric market is rapidly expanding into software and cloud service domains. According to the latest report by market research firm Gartner, the quantum computing software and services market will account for 47% of the total in 2026, a 23% increase from the previous year. This shift indicates that quantum computing is evolving from being the domain of hardware manufacturers to a tool that professionals across various industries can directly utilize.
IBM is positioning itself as a leader in the quantum computing commercialization race. As of January 2026, the IBM Quantum Network has established partnerships with over 240 companies, academic institutions, and research organizations worldwide, a 28% increase from the previous year. Through IBM’s quantum computing cloud platform ‘Qiskit Runtime,’ approximately 150,000 quantum computing tasks are processed monthly, with commercial tasks accounting for 34% of the total. Notably, global companies like JPMorgan Chase, Daimler, and Roche are actively adopting IBM’s quantum computing solutions for portfolio optimization, drug development, and transportation optimization. In IBM’s Q4 2025 earnings report, the quantum computing division’s revenue increased by 67% year-over-year to $420 million, accounting for about 2.1% of the company’s total revenue.
Google is also gaining attention for its unique approach in the quantum computing field. The ‘Willow’ chip, a successor to the ‘Sycamore’ processor developed by Google’s quantum AI team, features 70 qubits and pursues a high-quality qubit strategy distinct from IBM’s large-scale approach. Google is particularly focused on quantum error correction technology, and research results announced in January 2026 indicate that the logical error rate of the Willow chip decreases exponentially as the number of physical qubits increases, achieving ‘below threshold’ performance. This is considered to have resolved one of the most critical technical barriers to the practical application of quantum computing. In Alphabet’s 2025 annual report, the investment in the ‘Other Bets’ division, including quantum computing, increased by 45% year-over-year to $8.9 billion.
Amazon, based in Washington, is focusing on building a quantum computing cloud ecosystem rather than hardware manufacturing. Through AWS’s ‘Amazon Braket’ service, it provides an integrated platform to access systems from various quantum computing hardware manufacturers like IBM, Rigetti, and IonQ. As of January 2026, Amazon Braket has approximately 8,500 monthly active users, a 156% increase from the previous year. Amazon’s approach particularly appeals to small and medium-sized enterprises that lack the capacity to build their own quantum computing infrastructure, allowing them to utilize quantum computing services via the cloud. In AWS’s Q4 2025 revenue, quantum computing-related services recorded approximately $780 million, accounting for 3.2% of total AWS revenue.
Acceleration of Quantum Computing Adoption in Finance, Pharmaceuticals, and Logistics
The most prominent practical applications of quantum computing are emerging in the financial sector. Since 2025, JPMorgan Chase has been actively adopting IBM’s quantum computing solutions for portfolio optimization and risk management, reporting a computational speed improvement of about 1,000 times compared to traditional Monte Carlo simulations. Quantum algorithms are producing significantly more accurate results than traditional methods, particularly in derivative pricing and credit risk analysis. Goldman Sachs also began pilot operations of an algorithmic trading system using its proprietary quantum algorithms in January 2026, reporting 15-20% higher returns compared to existing systems in initial tests.
The pharmaceutical sector is also experiencing the full impact of quantum computing. Roche, based in Switzerland, is using Google’s quantum computing platform to perform molecular simulations of new drug candidates, completing molecular interaction analyses in hours that previously took months. Notably, in its Alzheimer’s drug development project, the accuracy of protein folding predictions using quantum computing improved by 34% compared to traditional methods, as published in the January 2026 issue of Nature. Biogen in the U.S. is also developing a side effect prediction model for multiple sclerosis treatments using quantum algorithms in collaboration with IBM, achieving over 30% cost savings in clinical trial design stages.
Quantum computing is rapidly increasing its utility in logistics and supply chain optimization. Volkswagen, based in Germany, has been applying quantum computing to optimize traffic flow in Beijing since the second half of 2025, reducing average travel time by 12%. The project optimized the real-time routes of 418 buses and taxis using quantum algorithms, reducing fuel consumption by 8% compared to existing GPS navigation systems. UPS in the U.S. is also developing a delivery route optimization system using Amazon’s Braket service, with initial tests showing a 16% improvement in delivery efficiency. The effects of quantum algorithms are particularly pronounced during peak delivery periods such as the Christmas season.
These tangible results demonstrate that quantum computing is no longer a technology of the distant future but a practical tool providing a competitive edge in the current business environment. According to a January 2026 report by consulting firm McKinsey, companies that have adopted quantum computing achieve an average ROI (Return on Investment) of 247%, significantly surpassing the 189% ROI in the early stages of AI/ML adoption. Additionally, 87% of companies that have adopted quantum computing plan to increase related investments within the next two years, indicating that they are genuinely experiencing the business value of quantum computing.
Technical Challenges and Market Entry Barriers
Despite the acceleration of quantum computing commercialization, several technical challenges remain unresolved. The most fundamental issue is the limitation of quantum coherence time. Even the highest-performing quantum processors currently maintain a stable quantum state for only microseconds, which is still insufficient for performing complex computations. IBM’s latest Condor processor has an average coherence time of 127 microseconds, a 23% improvement from the previous year, but industry consensus is that at least millisecond-level stability is required for practical quantum algorithm implementation.
Another major challenge is the complexity of quantum error correction. Transitioning from the current NISQ (Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum) era to fully fault-tolerant quantum computers requires millions of physical qubits, but as of 2026, the largest systems are only 1,121 qubits. The ‘below threshold’ performance achieved by Google’s research team with the Willow chip is a result at the 70-qubit scale, and the feasibility of scaling to a practical size remains to be verified. The current ratio of physical qubits to logical qubits required for quantum error correction is about 1,000:1, posing a significant hurdle to commercialization.
The shortage of talent also constrains the growth of the quantum computing industry. According to LinkedIn’s January 2026 global talent report, demand for quantum computing experts increased by 89% year-over-year, but the supply of skilled personnel grew by only 23%. As a result, the average salary for quantum computing experts in the U.S. surged by 33%, from $185,000 to $247,000, with senior-level experts often earning over $400,000. Major companies like IBM, Google, and Microsoft are expanding collaboration programs with universities, but it is expected to take considerable time to cultivate interdisciplinary talent with expertise in both quantum physics and computer science.
The cost structure also hinders the popularization of quantum computing. Currently, the cost of building quantum computing systems ranges from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of dollars, with annual operating costs in the millions. Particularly, the cost of dilution refrigerator systems, which maintain the cryogenic environment (approximately -273°C) required for quantum processors to operate, accounts for 30-40% of the total. While cloud service access somewhat alleviates these entry barriers, usage fees still range from hundreds to thousands of dollars per hour, limiting accessibility for small and medium-sized enterprises. For the IBM Quantum Network, annual membership costs start at $120,000, with premium access costing over $500,000 annually.
Nevertheless, investors and companies remain optimistic about the long-term potential of quantum computing. According to data from venture capital investment tracking firm PitchBook, global investment in quantum computing startups reached $3.4 billion in 2025, a 67% increase from the previous year. Investments in quantum software and algorithm development companies have surged, accounting for 52% of total investments. This shift indicates a move from the initial hardware-focused investment pattern to a focus on software and application development. Notable investment cases include the UK-based quantum software company Cambridge Quantum Computing raising $750 million in a Series B round, and Canada’s Photonic securing $400 million in investment for its silicon photonics-based quantum computing technology.
The future outlook for the quantum computing industry is expected to be determined by the balance between technological advancements and market demand. Industry experts predict the emergence of 10,000-qubit quantum processors around 2028, with practical quantum computers capable of completely replacing existing supercomputers in certain fields becoming commercialized in the early 2030s. Along with these technological advancements, the cost of quantum computing services is expected to continuously decrease, with a dominant analysis predicting a reduction to 70-80% of current levels by 2030. The commercialization of next-generation technologies like photonic quantum computing is also anticipated, with the potential emergence of quantum systems operable at room temperature, significantly reducing operational costs. If these changes materialize, quantum computing could transition from a niche market to a universal computing platform, bringing fundamental changes to the entire IT ecosystem.
This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice or a recommendation for any specific company. Investment decisions should be made based on individual judgment and responsibility.
