Is IonQ Stock a Buy Now?

• IonQ has a tremendous marketplace accidental and arguably has what it takes to capitalize connected this opportunity.

• However, the institution remains unprofitable, its valuation is sky-high, and it faces aggravated competition.

• Whether oregon not to bargain IonQ banal depends connected your investing benignant and hazard tolerance.

• 10 stocks we similar amended than IonQ ›

Science fabrication writer Arthur C. Clarke famously enactment distant 3 laws of technology. I particularly similar his 3rd law: "Any sufficiently precocious exertion is indistinguishable from magic."

Clarke's thought decidedly applies to quantum computing. After all, we're talking astir computers that usage tiny particles called qubits that tin beryllium connected and disconnected astatine the aforesaid clip and adjacent intertwined with different tiny particles millions of miles away. That sounds similar magic, though it's not.

Quantum computing pioneer IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) has, astatine times, seemed magical. Its banal has skyrocketed much than 15x implicit the past 3 years. But IonQ is presently astir 40% beneath its peak. Is this up-and-coming quantum computing banal a bargain now?

Two captious factors successful deciding whether to bargain a fixed banal are the size of the accidental and the company's quality to capitalize connected it. IonQ seems to complaint beauteous good connected some fronts.

The accidental for quantum technologies is tremendous. McKinsey & Company projects that the quantum computing marketplace volition scope $72 cardinal by 2035. Adding quantum connection and quantum sensing to the premix is expected to boost the marketplace size to astir $97 billion.

Can IonQ prehend this opportunity? The institution believes that its trapped-ion architecture offers cardinal competitory advantages implicit rivals, including little cost, a smaller footprint, reduced vigor requirements, and greater scalability.

IonQ is besides focused connected processing a afloat quantum platform. It isn't lone astir gathering quantum computers. The institution is besides processing quantum networking, sensing, and information solutions.

Probably the champion grounds of IonQ's quality to capitalize connected the quantum accidental is its way grounds truthful far. The company's gross skyrocketed 222% year-over-year successful its latest quarter. IonQ's lawsuit basal includes pharmaceutical elephantine AstraZeneca (NASDAQ: AZN), ample automaker Hyundai, and engineering bundle person Ansys, which is owned by Synopsys (NASDAQ: SNPS).

Why should investors enactment distant from IonQ? Three reasons particularly basal out.

First, the institution continues to suffer wealth manus implicit fist. In the 3rd 4th of 2025, IonQ posted a nett nonaccomplishment of $1.1 billion, marking a important deterioration from the nonaccomplishment of $52.5 cardinal successful the anterior twelvemonth period. Granted, astir of the Q3 nonaccomplishment stemmed from antagonistic changes successful the just worth of warrant liabilities. Even adjusting for this factor, though, IonQ inactive mislaid astir $173.8 cardinal successful the quarter.