The Year of Quantum Computing Commercialization, Intensified Global Tech Supremacy Competition in 2025
Editor
As of the end of December 2025, the quantum computing industry is at a turning point from laboratory experiments to commercial applications. The global quantum computing market size reached $3.1 billion in 2025, growing by 42% compared to the previous year, and is expected to reach $12.5 billion by 2030 with an average annual growth rate of 32.1%. This rapid growth is backed by significant investments from global tech companies such as IBM (based in New York), Google (based in California), and Microsoft (based in Washington), along with strategic support at the government level.
Notably, IBM’s announcement of the 1000-qubit ‘Condor’ processor in the first half of 2025 marked a milestone in the industry. It showed more than double the performance of the previous 433-qubit ‘Osprey’, reaching a level applicable to solving real industrial problems. Currently, over 200 institutions worldwide are participating in IBM’s quantum network, processing more than 100,000 tasks per month through cloud-based quantum computing services, a 65% increase from 2024.
Google’s Quantum AI team announced a groundbreaking achievement in quantum error correction with the ‘Willow’ chip in October 2025. Willow reduced the error rate of logical qubits by more than 50% using 105 physical qubits, a breakthrough essential for practical quantum computing implementation. Google began limited commercial quantum computing services based on Willow in the fourth quarter of 2025, conducting pilot projects with early clients in financial modeling and new drug development.
China’s advancements in quantum computing technology are also noteworthy. The ‘Jiuzhang’ system, jointly developed by the University of Science and Technology of China and Alibaba, achieved a speed 10^14 times faster than conventional supercomputers in specific computational problems with a 72-qubit photonic quantum computer announced in August 2025. The Chinese government has invested a total of $15 billion in the quantum technology sector through the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), and by the end of 2025, it ranks first globally in the number of quantum computing-related patent applications.
Acceleration of Semiconductor Companies’ Entry into Quantum Computing
Traditional semiconductor manufacturers are also entering the quantum computing market in earnest. Intel (based in California) announced the ‘Horse Ridge III’ quantum control chip in September 2025, claiming a 40% improvement in the efficiency of quantum computer control systems. Intel’s approach focuses on spin qubit technology using existing silicon manufacturing techniques, attracting attention for its potential for mass production. By the end of 2025, Intel is investing $800 million annually in quantum computing-related R&D, accounting for about 5% of its total R&D budget.
Korean semiconductor companies are playing a crucial role in the quantum computing ecosystem. Samsung Electronics announced the development of cryogenic memory technology for quantum computers in the first half of 2025, which operates stably in the cryogenic environments essential for maintaining quantum states. This technology is expected to be applied to IBM and Google’s next-generation quantum computers, contributing to the overall stability and performance enhancement of quantum computing systems. SK Hynix is focusing on developing special memory for processing control signals of quantum computers and filed seven related patents in the third quarter of 2025.
The Netherlands’ ASML has embarked on developing next-generation lithography equipment for quantum computing manufacturing. Quantum chip manufacturing requires much higher precision than conventional semiconductors, and ASML’s EUV lithography technology specialized for quantum computing is expected to be released in 2026. This equipment is projected to provide ten times the precision of existing technologies, significantly enhancing the feasibility of mass-producing quantum chips.
Industry-Specific Quantum Computing Applications and Market Opportunities
The financial services sector is witnessing the fastest practical application of quantum computing. JPMorgan Chase announced that by applying quantum algorithms to portfolio optimization and risk analysis in partnership with IBM in 2025, they reduced computation time by 85% compared to traditional methods. Goldman Sachs improved the accuracy of their derivative pricing models by 15% using Google’s quantum computing cloud services, estimating an additional annual revenue of approximately $200 million.
The pharmaceutical industry is also advancing the utilization of quantum computing. Roche began a project in the first half of 2025 with Google to apply quantum computing in developing Alzheimer’s treatments. By using quantum algorithms for molecular simulation and protein folding prediction, they achieved a computation speed 1000 times faster than conventional supercomputers, demonstrating the potential to shorten new drug development periods by an average of 3-5 years. Biogen and Merck are also conducting new drug development projects using IBM and Microsoft’s quantum computing platforms, respectively.
In logistics and supply chain optimization, the effectiveness of quantum computing is being proven. Volkswagen completed a project to optimize traffic flow in Lisbon using D-Wave Systems’ quantum annealing system in the second half of 2025. This project optimized traffic light timing by analyzing real-time traffic data, reducing average travel time by 23%. Amazon applied quantum computing to optimize its logistics network, improving delivery route efficiency by 18%, resulting in an annual cost-saving effect of approximately $1.5 billion.
In the field of cybersecurity, quantum computing presents potential threats to existing encryption systems while offering new security solution opportunities. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced the final quantum-resistant encryption standards in August 2025, accelerating the adoption of Post-Quantum Cryptography by companies worldwide. IBM reported a 156% increase in revenue from quantum-safe encryption solutions in the third quarter of 2025 compared to the same period the previous year.
The quantum computing cloud service market is also rapidly growing. Microsoft’s Azure Quantum service surpassed 50,000 users in 2025, a 78% increase from the previous year, and Amazon’s Braket service is experiencing similar growth. The proliferation of these cloud-based quantum computing services provides opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises and research institutions to experiment with and develop quantum algorithms without expensive quantum computer hardware.
However, challenges remain in the quantum computing industry. The most significant issue is the instability and error rate of quantum states. Even the highest-level quantum computers currently exhibit an error rate of 0.1-1% in logical operations, necessitating more sophisticated error correction technologies for practical applications. Additionally, the cost of maintaining the cryogenic environments required for operating quantum computers remains high, suggesting that widespread commercialization will take more time.
The shortage of talent is also a critical issue. The global demand for quantum computing professionals is estimated at around 150,000 by the end of 2025, but the actual supply is only about 30% of that. Consequently, the average salary for quantum computing experts remains 40-60% higher than that of general software engineers. Major companies like IBM, Google, and Microsoft are expanding quantum computing education programs through partnerships with universities, but the talent shortage is unlikely to be resolved in the short term.
As of the end of 2025, the quantum computing industry is at a turning point where technological breakthroughs and commercial opportunities are expanding simultaneously. Practical applications in specific fields are expected to become more prevalent within the next 2-3 years, significantly impacting the stock prices and market value of related companies. In particular, the growth potential of companies involved in quantum computing hardware, software, and supporting semiconductor and manufacturing equipment is gaining attention.
This analysis is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute a recommendation or guarantee for specific investments. Investment decisions should be made based on individual judgment and responsibility.
