D-Wave Quantum vs. Rigetti Computing: Which Cutting Edge Quantum Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?
2026-10-07 15:08
•Brendan Coffey •The Motley Fool
•• ••••• Axe Cap view
Quantum Computing Stocks: Too Early for JSE Impact
D-Wave and Rigetti show promise but remain distant from meaningful South African investment relevance.
Quantum computing fascinates with its potential to disrupt entire industries. D-Wave’s 180% revenue jump catches the eye but their $355 million losses show commercial traction remains shallow. Rigetti, with lower revenues but a promising $100 million government contract, seems more technologically vetted. Still, both companies burn cash aggressively and trade with valuations that assume they’ll revolutionize tech soon. For South African investors, neither D-Wave nor Rigetti connects straightforwardly to our JSE ecosystem. The local market’s strengths—like MTN and Naspers with real earnings—leave this quantum space in the realm of speculative foreign tech plays. If the USD/ZAR weakens sharply, foreign tech exposure might benefit in rand terms, but that’s a secondary effect. Given the risk/reward balance here, patience and selective exposure to global tech giants like Microsoft (with known quantum initiatives) might make more sense than direct bets on these early-stage players. this is just our opinion and not financial advice
Avoid direct investment in either D-Wave or Rigetti for now. Instead, watch how the USD/ZAR moves and consider Naspers or Prosus for measured global tech exposure.
- USD/ZAR
- Naspers
- Quantum technology commercial viability delays
- US tech policy shifts affecting government contracts
4/10
D-Wave Quantum and Rigetti Computing are both early-stage quantum computing companies with significant cash burn and unproven commercial roadmaps. D-Wave shows stronger revenue growth at 180% YoY ($24.6M) with increasing commercial adoption, while Rigetti has lower revenue ($7.1M, down 34% YoY) but received a potential $100M government contract. The author recommends Rigetti for long-term investors seeking a potential home run due to its technological prowess and deeper government support, despite both companies trading at high valuations with negative earnings.
Our take is based on reporting first published by The Motley Fool.
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