IonQ (IONQ -9.11%) has had a bad 2026. The stock is down by about 20% this year and is off by more than 60% from the all-time high above $84 that it reached at this time last year. However, I think it could be preparing for a rebound, and might blow right past that high next year on its way to $100 per share.
From its current level of less than $40 per share, that would be a rise of more than 150%, which is why I think it is one of the highest-potential stocks in the market now.
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IonQ has a major catalyst arriving in 2027
We're closer to commercially viable fault-tolerant quantum computing than we've ever been before. While many companies in this industry have been forecasting that viable quantum computing will arrive in 2030, several leaders in the space now see the timeline shortening to 2029, including IonQ. This is a big deal, as the first competitors to deliver on their goals will start to emerge in the near future.
I think IonQ will be one of those, as it has taken the lead with an unusual technology. Instead of using the more common superconducting qubit approach, IonQ is using trapped-ion qubit technology, which yields more accurate results at the cost of slower processing speeds. One of the primary reasons quantum computing isn't ready for widespread commercial use yet is that qubits are incredibly sensitive to outside interference, and as a result, calculations performed on quantum computers frequently yield incorrect results. Reducing their error frequency and developing better error-correction tools are among the central challenges that companies in the space are working on today.
So it makes sense that the companies developing quantum computers that lead in accuracy will see their systems adopted first, which is why I think IonQ has a strong chance of succeeding. In fact, IonQ holds the world record for quantum computing accuracy, with two-qubit gate fidelity of 99.99%.
IONQ IonQ
NYSE · As of 3:56 PM ET 10/16/26
Another hurdle that stands between quantum computing and commercial viability is linking enough qubits together in one system to form a stable and accurate computing device with enough processing power to be useful. IonQ expects to start delivering its new 256-qubit system, the Superion 256, early next year, and there are already several preorders for it. If this device delivers on expectations, it could kick off a race by businesses to acquire early-stage quantum computers.
Right now, Wall Street analysts are bullish about IonQ's outlook for next year: The average projection is that its revenue will grow nearly 80%. If the launch is successful, it could blow past that forecast growth rate, which could help lift the stock to new heights.
We'll know a lot more about IonQ's success by this time next year. However, I think its future looks bright enough to warrant taking a small position in the stock and getting portfolio exposure to one of the best quantum computing companies out there.
