Quantum Computing Stocks Surge 8% Ahead of Earnings, Adding $800 Million in Market Cap

On May 11, U.S. quantum computing firm Rigetti Computing Inc. (NASDAQ: RGTI) closed on the Nasdaq at $20.50, up 8.13%, driving its market capitalization to about $6.8 billion (roughly ₩9.5 trillion). Trading volume surged to over 30 million shares—significantly above its average—and in a single day its market cap swelled by about $600 million (approximately ₩800 billion).

In its after-market release for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, Rigetti reported revenue of around $44 million, slightly beating analysts’ estimates. Excluding non-cash items, however, the company posted an adjusted loss of $0.04 per share, extending its unprofitable streak. Following the earnings announcement, reports indicated that profit-taking in after-hours trading led to a pullback in the stock price.

On the technology front, Rigetti recently unveiled its 108-qubit “Cepheus-1-108Q” quantum computer and has secured multi-million-dollar orders and research contracts from clients including India’s government and the U.S. Air Force. Across the quantum computing sector, trading remains driven more by expectations of technological breakthroughs and contract wins than by current profitability. Rigetti is thus viewed as a high-volatility stock, with its future performance hinging on further technical milestones and the acquisition of large-scale customers.

Headquartered in Berkeley and Fremont, California, Rigetti is a full-stack quantum computing startup that designs and manufactures superconducting qubit processors and delivers quantum services via its own cloud platform as well as major public clouds. Alongside competitors such as IonQ and D-Wave, Rigetti is targeting leadership in demanding computational fields—logistics optimization, finance, and drug discovery—by advancing next-generation quantum hardware and hybrid quantum-classical architectures.