Quantum Computing Stats: Forecasts & Facts in '25 & Beyond

Quantum computing is an emerging field that has the potential to fundamentally change computing and build smarter machines. To understand the potential of quantum computing (QC), feel free to read our research on QC and its applications.

We have compiled predictions & facts about the field:

Market size forecasts

• The quantum technology market is projected to experience dramatic growth, with forecasts suggesting it could reach a valuation of $173 billion by 2040. This represents a significant potential market opportunity over the next several decades. (McKinsey)
• Public investment in quantum technology (QT) has reached approximately $42 billion globally, with several nations making substantial financial commitments. Three countries have emerged as leading investors: Germany, the UK, and South Korea, who are spearheading major new funding initiatives in this field. (McKinsey)
• Quantum computing is expected to make its first significant breakthroughs in four key industries: chemical, pharmaceutical/life sciences, financial services, and transportation/mobility. These sectors are positioned to be early beneficiaries of quantum technology, with potential economic gains reaching $2 trillion in value by 2035. (McKinsey)
• Automotive will be one of the primary value pools for quantum computing with a high impact noticeable by about 2025 and $2 billion to $3 billion economic impacts of related technologies for the automotive industry by 2030. (Mckinsey)
• There could be between 2,000 and 5,000 quantum computers worldwide by 2030. (Mckinsey, Consultancy.co)
• As quantum computing continues to develop as a new technology, there’s a growing gap between workforce needs and available talent globally. Projections suggest the industry may face a significant shortfall, with demand potentially reaching 10,000 qualified workers by 2025, while the available workforce is expected to be less than half that number at under 5,000 people. (Fortune Business Insight)

Adoption

• Out of the players working on and innovating in quantum computing, the majority are startups (40%) and universities (33%) (PwC)
• IBM has achieved a quantum processor that surpasses 1000 qubits. (Scientific American)

Use cases & applications

• Finance (28%), global energy and materials (16%), and advanced tech sectors are the most applicable industries for quantum computing. (Mckinsey, Consultancy.co)

Interesting facts

• Quantum computing as an alternative to classical computing was suggested by physicist Richard Feynman and mathematician Yuri Manin in early 1980s.¹
• Quantum computing requires a cold operating environment since particles must be in a stationary phase to be measured. The highest temperature that quantum computer chips have been operated is -272°C.²
• In 2011, the world’s first commercial quantum annealing machine, operating on a 128-qubit, was developed by D-Wave and its price was about US$10,000,000. (HandWiki)
• As of 2018, China leads in publications on quantum computing ~3000 scientific publications. The United States follows China with ~2500 publications. (BCG)
• It takes 10 years for Boolean logic computers to complete a task the latest Google quantum computers do in 3 seconds. (Seed Scientific)
• Google Willow completed a benchmark computation in under five minutes that would take one of today’s fastest supercomputers approximately 10 septillion years (10^25 years). Also, they managed to demonstrate exponential error reduction as more qubits were added to the system.³

Total fundings of startups

• D-Wave is the most funded private quantum computing company with $216M in 19 rounds (Crunchbase)
• Rigetti Computing: $198.5M in 9 rounds(Crunchbase)
• The University of Oxford (UK) is the entity that has gained the most public funding: $117.59 M for 62 grants (PwC)
• IonQ: $52M in 3 rounds (Crunchbase)
• Silicon Quantum Computing: $66M (PwC)
• Cambridge Quantum Computing (CQC): $48M in 7 rounds (Crunchbase)
• 1QBit: CA$45 in 4 rounds (Crunchbase)
• IQM: €29M in 3 rounds (Crunchbase)

For more on quantum computing

You may also like these articles if you want to learn more on quantum computing:

• Quantum Software: What it is & How it Works
• QC Companies: Guide Based on 4 Ecosystem Mapsting Ecosystem
• In-Depth Guide to Quantum Artificial Intelligence

Finally, if you believe your business would benefit from a quantum computing solution, we have a data-driven list of vendors prepared.

We will help you choose the best one tailored to your needs:

External Links

• 1. Quantum computing - Wikipedia. Contributors to Wikimedia projects
• 2. Quantum computer chips demonstrated at the highest temperatures ever | New Scientist. New Scientist
• 3. Meet Willow, our state-of-the-art quantum chip. Google