Turning Point in the Quantum Computing Industry: The Race for Commercialization and Market Restructuring by 2025
Editor
As of December 2025, the quantum computing industry is at a critical turning point in terms of technological maturity and commercialization potential. Over the past decade, theoretical research primarily conducted in laboratories and universities is now evolving into practical business solutions, prompting global companies to engage in fierce competition to secure quantum advantage. According to the latest report by McKinsey, the global quantum computing market size is projected to explode from $1.3 billion in 2025 to $85 billion in 2030, with an average annual growth rate of 85%.
Particularly noteworthy is the active market participation of Asian companies, which is complicating the competitive landscape beyond the previously dominant American and European firms in quantum computing research. South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have announced investments of $5 billion and $3 billion, respectively, in developing semiconductor and memory technologies for quantum computing. Meanwhile, Japan’s Fujitsu and NEC are also building their own quantum computing platforms. The involvement of these Asian companies is creating new dynamics in the previously US-centric technology ecosystem.
IBM, headquartered in New York and regarded as possessing the most advanced technology in the quantum computing field, reaffirmed its technological superiority by unveiling the new 1,000-qubit quantum processor ‘Heron’ in November 2025. IBM’s quantum computing division reported a 240% increase in third-quarter revenue year-over-year, reaching $420 million, primarily driven by the surge in quantum cloud service usage by financial services and pharmaceutical companies. IBM’s quantum network currently includes over 200 companies and research institutions worldwide, many of which are utilizing quantum computing to solve real business problems.
Technological Breakthroughs and Commercialization Competition
Google (Alphabet), based in California, is also fiercely competing with IBM in the quantum computing field. In October 2025, Google’s Quantum AI team announced a groundbreaking achievement in the field of quantum error correction with its new quantum processor ‘Willow.’ This technology significantly improves the issue of qubit instability, one of the biggest obstacles in quantum computing, bringing practical quantum computing systems one step closer to realization. Google’s investment in quantum computing research and development reached $1.5 billion in 2025, accounting for about 4% of its total R&D budget.
Microsoft, headquartered in Washington, is approaching the quantum computing market with a unique strategy. Instead of developing its own quantum hardware, the company is focusing on providing quantum computing services through its Azure cloud platform and has established partnerships with various quantum computing hardware manufacturers like IBM, IonQ, and Quantinuum. Microsoft’s Azure Quantum service surpassed 50,000 monthly active users in 2025, marking a 180% growth year-over-year. This platform-centric strategy is considered an effective way to reduce the risks of hardware development while expanding market share.
IonQ, based in Maryland, is a specialized quantum computing company developing quantum systems based on unique ion trap technology. The company reported a 2025 first-half revenue of $28 million, an 89% increase year-over-year, with government contracts accounting for 60% of total revenue. IonQ’s technological distinction lies in providing relatively high qubit fidelity and long coherence time, advantageous for executing complex quantum algorithms. The company aims to commercialize a 1,024-qubit system by the end of 2025.
Meanwhile, Intel, headquartered in California, is focusing on developing silicon-based quantum computing chips leveraging its semiconductor manufacturing expertise. Intel’s approach aims to achieve mass production and cost reduction by developing quantum chips compatible with existing semiconductor manufacturing processes. The company unveiled a prototype quantum chip using a 300mm wafer in the second half of 2025, marking the industry’s first quantum processor manufactured on a conventional semiconductor production line. Intel’s quantum computing division is currently investing $800 million annually in R&D, aiming to secure a 20% market share in the commercial quantum processor market by 2030.
The Rise of the Asian Market and Intensifying Global Competition
In Asia, quantum computing technology development is accelerating, centered around South Korea and Japan. Samsung Electronics in South Korea unveiled its self-developed quantum memory chip in September 2025, marking its official entry into the quantum computing hardware market. This product can expand the memory capacity of existing quantum systems by more than tenfold, an essential element for executing complex quantum algorithms. Samsung Electronics has filed approximately 1,200 quantum computing-related patents as of 2025, accounting for about 8% of global quantum computing patents. The company aims to achieve $10 billion in annual revenue from quantum computing-related businesses by 2030.
SK Hynix is also actively developing specialized memory for quantum computing. The company’s cryogenic memory, designed to operate stably at absolute temperatures below 1K, is optimized for the operational environment of quantum computers. SK Hynix plans to launch its first quantum memory product in the fourth quarter of 2025, with an estimated initial target market size of $500 million annually. The company’s quantum computing memory division currently employs 500 researchers, accounting for about 3% of its total research workforce.
In the Chinese market, major tech companies like Baidu and Alibaba are making significant investments in quantum computing research. Baidu unveiled its self-developed 36-qubit quantum computer ‘Qianshi’ in the first half of 2025, showcasing the highest performance among quantum systems developed by Chinese companies. The Chinese government has designated quantum computing as a national strategic technology and announced a $20 billion investment over the next five years, which is expected to significantly elevate China’s status in the global quantum computing competition.
In Japan, Fujitsu and NEC are pursuing independent technology development in the quantum computing field. Fujitsu commercialized an optimization solution utilizing quantum annealing technology in October 2025, which is immediately applicable in practical areas such as logistics optimization and financial portfolio management. The company’s quantum annealing service secured over 50 corporate clients within two months of its launch, with monthly revenue exceeding $3 million. NEC is developing a security solution specialized in quantum key distribution technology, considered a key technology for addressing cybersecurity threats in the quantum computing era.
The practical growth of the quantum computing market is being driven by the proactive adoption in the financial services and pharmaceutical industries. Goldman Sachs began utilizing IBM’s quantum computing services for portfolio optimization and risk management in the first half of 2025, achieving a 90% reduction in computation time compared to previous methods. JP Morgan Chase is also piloting a high-frequency trading system using quantum algorithms, reporting a 30% higher return compared to existing systems in initial tests. These success stories from financial institutions are acting as catalysts for expansion into other industries.
The pharmaceutical industry is also rapidly expanding its use of quantum computing. Roche introduced Google’s quantum computing services for molecular simulation in drug development in the second half of 2025, reporting a 50% reduction in the time required to discover drug candidates compared to traditional methods. Novartis is applying quantum algorithms for protein folding predictions, utilizing them in the development of Alzheimer’s treatments. According to McKinsey’s analysis, the economic impact of quantum computing applications in the pharmaceutical industry is expected to reach $60 billion annually by 2030.
However, despite the rapid growth of the quantum computing industry, several technical and economic challenges remain. The most significant issues are still the high error rates and short coherence times, with the average qubit error rate of current commercial quantum systems ranging from 0.1% to 1%, which is still high for practical applications. Additionally, the cost of maintaining the cryogenic environment necessary for operating quantum computers is substantial, with the annual operating cost of large quantum systems averaging $2 million. These cost burdens act as barriers limiting small and medium-sized enterprises’ access to quantum computing.
The shortage of skilled personnel is also a major obstacle to the growth of the quantum computing industry. Currently, there are an estimated 5,000 quantum computing specialists worldwide, which is woefully inadequate compared to the industry’s growth rate. Major companies are fiercely competing to secure interdisciplinary talent that understands both quantum physics and computer science, with the average salary for related experts exceeding $250,000. Leading companies like IBM and Google are expanding workforce development programs through collaborations with universities, but resolving the talent shortage issue in the short term is expected to be challenging.
As of the end of 2025, the quantum computing industry is entering a full-fledged commercialization phase, driven by technological maturity and increasing market demand. The proliferation of cloud-based quantum computing services is lowering entry barriers, creating an environment where more companies can leverage quantum technology. Over the next 3-5 years, the quantum computing market is expected to continue its high growth trajectory through hardware performance improvements, software ecosystem expansion, and increased practical application cases. For investors, companies with technological superiority and those providing key components of the quantum computing ecosystem are expected to offer attractive investment opportunities, with the rapid technological advancements of Asian companies likely to bring new changes to the global competitive landscape.
