Analyst Backs IonQ Over QCi for 2026 Portfolio on $130 Million Revenue Edge

3 articles · Updated · The Globe and Mail · Jun 29

$130 million in 2025 revenue versus Quantum Computing Inc.'s $682,000 drove Robert Izquierdo to favor IonQ as the stronger 2026 quantum-computing stock despite both remaining speculative bets.
IonQ's case rests on commercial traction through Amazon and Microsoft cloud partnerships, plus 201.9% annual revenue growth that suggests its trapped-ion systems are winning customers.
Quantum Computing Inc. posted faster recent momentum—Q1 revenue rose to $3.7 million from $39,000—but the analyst said that jump was driven mainly by its Luminar Semiconductor acquisition, leaving demand for its photonics approach unproven.
Both companies had no meaningful debt and ample liquidity, but each still burned cash and posted losses, with IonQ also facing antitrust scrutiny over its $1.8 billion SkyWater deal and QCi confronting execution and supply-chain risks.
The comparison underscores a broader split in quantum hardware investing: IonQ offers earlier commercial scale at a lower sales multiple, while QCi remains a far smaller manufacturing-led bet on optical chips.