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While universal fault-tolerant quantum computers with millions of qubits may still be years away, quantum computing research continues to gain momentum. From pharmaceuticals and battery materials to AI and cryptography, quantum computers are expected to revolutionize numerous domains. Yet, amid this rapid progress, there’s a critical gap — a lack of robust metrics to assess just how transformative these technologies will truly be.
Beyond Quantum Supremacy: Milestones and Real-World Impact
In recent years, various research teams have claimed to achieve quantum supremacy — the ability to perform tasks beyond classical capabilities. This milestone sparked optimism and bold corporate roadmaps projecting fault-tolerant quantum computers within the decade. However, these projections often lack context without benchmarks tied to real-world performance. The next major milestone is quantum advantage, where NISQ (Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum) devices outperform classical computers in solving practical problems. Unlike supremacy, quantum advantage demands technical maturity and demonstrable use cases.
Among notable developments in 2025 is Microsoft’s Majorana 1 processor, which leverages topological qubits. This chip uses synchronized electrons to significantly enhance qubit stability, positioning it for rapid scalability. IBM also introduced the Quantum System Two, a modular quantum data center featuring a 156-qubit processor. This new platform is now fifty times faster than previous models, opening doors to practical scientific research. D-Wave’s Advantage2 processor, with over 4,400 qubits, is delivering breakthroughs in optimization tasks, solving them up to 25,000 times faster than classical systems—especially relevant for materials science and AI applications.
Together, these advances are moving the field closer to achieving quantum advantage, where quantum systems outperform classical computers in real-world scenarios. Yet, as IBM CEO Arvind Krishna has stated, achieving fault-tolerant, large-scale quantum computing remains a multi-year journey that demands continued breakthroughs in architecture, stability, and error correction.
Rethinking Performance Metrics
Traditional computing metrics such as speed, memory, and accuracy do not translate well to quantum systems. Until recently, quantum system performance was often gauged by qubit count — an inadequate metric given the impact of decoherence, error rates, and qubit interconnectivity. To address this, IBM introduced Quantum Volume, a metric combining qubit number and circuit depth while factoring in noise, gate fidelity, and cross-talk. Although it offers a more complete picture than raw qubit counts, it still doesn’t capture application-level performance.
DARPA’s Quantum Initiative
A key challenge slowing quantum adoption is the lack of standardized performance metrics. Addressing this gap, DARPA launched the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI), which evaluates qubit technologies across more than fifteen companies, including IBM, IonQ, and Quantinuum. The program aims to establish rigorous performance thresholds tailored for both defense and commercial use cases.
Logical qubits are becoming the focal point of this effort. Instead of measuring raw qubit count, the emphasis is on error-corrected, high-fidelity qubits. Quantinuum’s H-Series processors, for instance, have achieved an impressive 99.9% two-qubit gate fidelity—a crucial step toward dependable, scalable computation. In parallel, hybrid benchmarking models that combine classical and quantum resources are being explored. A prominent example is Rigetti’s partnership with Quanta Computer, which includes a $500 million investment to integrate superconducting qubits with high-performance computing systems.
Practical Quantum Technologies Beyond Computing
Quantum technologies are already showing practical utility beyond computation. Quantum Random Number Generators (QRNGs) are becoming essential for mobile devices, securing financial and personal data in a post-quantum world. Their adoption is expanding into online gaming, lotteries, and banking, ensuring randomness and fairness. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) offers ultra-secure communication by leveraging quantum entanglement. Financial institutions and governments are exploring its use to protect sensitive information across high-speed networks.
Quantum-secured data centers enhance the safety of high-speed data-in-transit. In the automotive sector, Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communications can benefit from quantum-safe encryption, making connected vehicles more secure. Telecom operators can embed QRNG and QKD into their networks to ensure end-to-end security and offer “security as a service” to customers.
Quantum Sensing and Imaging
Quantum sensing is an emerging field with applications in safety, navigation, and healthcare. Technologies like quantum gas imaging and magnetometers (such as SQUIDs) offer high sensitivity in detecting chemicals and magnetic fields. Quantum sensors could revolutionize gravity mapping for detecting underground structures and tunneling, electromagnetic sensing in healthcare for organ diagnostics and mapping, and search and rescue operations through advanced quantum imaging in low-visibility environments.
Quantum Simulation: A New Computational Paradigm
Quantum simulations promise to model complex systems — from quantum chemistry to high-energy physics — that classical supercomputers struggle with. These simulations are key to breakthroughs in materials science, molecular biology, and energy systems. They offer insights that are simply beyond the reach of even the most powerful classical computers.
QRNG and Cybersecurity: From Theory to Deployment
Quantum Random Number Generators (QRNG) are now moving from theoretical constructs to commercial deployments. In the financial sector, JPMorgan Chase has launched a quantum-secured network that uses quantum key distribution (QKD) for encrypted transactions. This initiative was validated through a collaboration with Quantinuum and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Quantum networking is also gaining traction. IonQ’s acquisition of ID Quantique expanded its global patent portfolio and opened up infrastructure opportunities in South Korea and Japan, strengthening the foundation for international quantum communication systems. In the public sector, the U.S. Department of Defense is testing QRNG-enabled secure communication systems through the open testbed infrastructure provided by the Chicago Quantum Exchange.
Reinforcing, Not Replacing, Blockchain
Quantum encryption is not a threat to blockchain. Instead, it can strengthen it by securing underlying protocols, verifying integrity, and defending against quantum attacks in the future. Post-quantum cryptography and quantum-resilient protocols are increasingly being designed to preserve the integrity of distributed ledger systems.
Quantum Market Dynamics: Growth and Global Competition
McKinsey projects that quantum computing will generate up to $2 trillion in economic value by 2035, fueled by rising investments and competitive advancements across regions.
In North America, the United States continues to lead the charge. IBM has committed $30 billion to R&D, while DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative is positioning the country for long-term dominance. In the Asia-Pacific region, China is incorporating quantum technology into defense platforms such as the Xian H-6U tankers. Meanwhile, Japan has partnered with IonQ and Toyota Tsusho to gain a foothold in quantum networking. Europe is also stepping up; IBM has deployed its Quantum System Two in Spain, and CERN’s Open Quantum Institute is focusing on grid optimization through quantum models.
Additionally, 2025 has been designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, emphasizing the need for global collaboration and shared innovation in this emerging domain.
Hybrid Frameworks: Bridging Classical and Quantum
The future lies in hybrid systems where high-performance computing (HPC) handles traditional workloads like logistics, data sorting, and classical AI models, while quantum computing tackles encryption, optimization, and simulation problems unique to quantum mechanics. This symbiosis doesn’t replace classical systems but enhances them with quantum capabilities.
A key strategy for immediate quantum value lies in hybrid computing frameworks. Microsoft’s Quantum Ready Program is a flagship example. By integrating quantum systems with AI and classical computing on Azure’s hybrid cloud platform, Microsoft is enabling enterprises to tackle complex challenges. One example is Airbus, which is using the platform to optimize the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Hybrid pilots are also emerging across industries. In pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca has adopted IonQ’s trapped-ion quantum systems to accelerate molecular simulations, thereby reducing drug discovery timelines. In logistics, Volkswagen is using D-Wave’s annealing processors for real-time route optimization, resulting in a 15% reduction in fuel costs.
Error Correction and Logical Qubits: The Path to Scalability
Error correction is a pivotal element in making quantum computing scalable and reliable. IBM’s latest advancement involves the Flamingo Code, a 156-qubit chip employing lattice-surgery techniques to reduce the overhead of logical qubits. Google’s Willow chip has also achieved a tenfold improvement in coherence time through error-suppressed qubit architecture. These advancements are significantly boosting the practicality of long-duration quantum computations.
Meanwhile, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, is leading pioneering research into silicon-based qubits. These developments promise a cost-effective and manufacturable path to scalability, bringing quantum chips closer to integration with existing semiconductor processes.
Strategic Initiatives and Global Readiness
Corporate and governmental efforts are converging to accelerate quantum readiness. Amazon, in partnership with Caltech, has developed the Ocelot photonic chip, tailored for quantum machine learning applications. Intel is also pushing the envelope, scaling its silicon spin qubits with the goal of producing processors with more than 1,000 qubits by 2027.
Governmental programs are equally ambitious. The U.S. National Quantum Initiative is funding startups like Atom Computing and PsiQuantum, with a focus on defense applications. Europe’s Quantum Flagship has committed over €1 billion to quantum communication infrastructure, fostering a unified, continent-wide ecosystem.
Conclusion: 2025 – The Year of Quantum Readiness
Although the realization of full-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computing may still be years away, 2025 marks a pivotal shift toward quantum readiness. Enterprises must begin prioritizing cryptographic agility by adopting NIST’s post-quantum standards and experimenting with hybrid quantum-classical solutions. Governments are racing to establish quantum sovereignty through national programs and international alliances. Researchers, for their part, are transitioning from abstract theoretical algorithms to tangible, real-world applications—as demonstrated by Quantinuum’s initiatives in the healthcare sector.
Quantum technology is no longer just theoretical. From secure communications and ultra-sensitive sensors to simulation breakthroughs, it is beginning to reshape key sectors. But to truly unlock its power, we must move beyond broad metrics like qubit count or quantum volume. Defining application-specific, multidimensional benchmarks is essential to navigating this quantum frontier with clarity. Only then can we ensure that our investments lead not just to technological milestones, but to meaningful real-world transformations
As Holger Mueller from Constellation Research aptly advises: “If you’re in manufacturing or pharma, start quantum pilots now. For others, watch IBM’s scaling playbook.”
