U.S. Explores Equity Stakes in Quantum Computing Firms, Sparking Market Rally

The Commerce Department is negotiating with leading quantum computing firms—including IonQ, Rigetti Computing, and D-Wave Quantum—to exchange federal funding for equity stakes. This unprecedented move WOULD position the U.S. government as a shareholder in a sector deemed critical to national technological supremacy.

Shares of IonQ ($IONQ) and peers surged over 14% on the news, reigniting investor enthusiasm after recent cooling in the sector. The Biden administration's reshaped Chips Research and Development Office, now under Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, will oversee minimum $10 million allocations per company.

Quantum Computing Inc. and ATOM Computing are reportedly considering similar arrangements. The initiative reflects growing bipartisan consensus that taxpayer-funded support for strategic technologies should yield financial returns. "If we're providing funding and credibility, the government should share in the upside," former President TRUMP remarked earlier this month.