IonQ vs. Rigetti: The Better Quantum Computing Stock for Long-Term Investors

Quantum computing is a market where the biggest opportunity may sit years ahead. That makes choosing the best quantum computing stock now more difficult, as investors are betting on which technology can scale, which company can turn research into commercially useful systems, and which balance sheet can survive long enough to reach that point.

Quantum computing firms IonQ (IONQ) and Rigetti (RGTI) are taking very different routes. But only one stock could be the better pick for long-term investors. Let's take a closer look.

The Case for Rigetti: A More Focused Bet on Superconducting Quantum Computing

Valued at $5.9 billion by market capitalization, Rigetti Computing is a quantum computing company that builds superconducting quantum computers designed to solve complex problems beyond the capabilities of traditional computers. The company uses a technology called chiplet architecture, which connects smaller quantum chips together rather than attempting to build one massive quantum chip.

Over the last two years, RGTI stock has climbed more than 1,800%, owing mostly to predictions that quantum computing could be the next big thing after artificial intelligence (AI). However, some of that enthusiasm has cooled, with the stock down 19% year-to-date (YTD).