Quantum computing stocks surge as U.S. awards $2 billion in grants — and takes equity stakes

IBM stands to receive $1 billion of the package, which covers nine companies and is funded by the 2022 Chips and Science Act

By Cris Tolomia2 min readUpdated May 21, 2026

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Nine quantum computing companies are set to share $2 billion in government grants, with the U.S. taking equity stakes in each firm as part of the arrangement, according to The Wall Street Journal. The funding comes from the 2022 Chips and Science Act enacted under President Joe Biden.

Of the total award, $1 billion goes to IBM $IBM, making it the top beneficiary of the package, according to The Journal. GlobalFoundries, the chipmaker, is in line for $375 million. D-Wave Quantum, Rigetti Computing, and Infleqtion are each expected to land $100 million, with the smallest disclosed allocation — $38 million — going to startup Diraq. The other firms expected to receive funding are Atom Computing, PsiQuantum, and Quantinuum. The deals still need to be formally completed.

IBM confirmed a letter of intent with the Department of Commerce to build what the company calls America's first purpose-built quantum chip foundry. A new standalone entity named Anderon, to be based in Albany, New York, will be the vehicle for the work, IBM said — with the company describing it as a 300-millimeter quantum wafer foundry built to serve a broad range of industry customers. IBM said it will contribute $1 billion of its own cash to Anderon, matching the government grant, along with intellectual property, assets, and staff.

"With today's CHIPS Research and Development investments in quantum computing, the Trump administration is leading the world into a new era of American innovation," Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a statement.

IBM Chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna said in a statement that Anderon "will be well-positioned to fuel America's fast-growing quantum technology industry."

Each of the nine firms will give the federal government a minority ownership position, The Journal reported, though the Commerce Department stopped short of specifying how large or how those stakes would be structured. The quantum deals add to a broader pattern in which the administration has negotiated equity alongside funding in sectors it views as strategically vital — previous examples include a nearly 10% stake in Intel $INTC and partial ownership in rare-earths companies MP Materials and Vulcan Elements.

Before Thursday's opening bell, IBM shares climbed around 6%. Among the smaller recipients, Infleqtion posted the sharpest premarket move at more than 23%, with D-Wave up 16% and Rigetti advancing roughly 13.8%.

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