NVIDIA is building systems that allow quantum computers to connect smoothly with clusters of classical supercomputers.
Microsoft is monetizing quantum computing through the cloud.
Both companies combine reliable cash flow with long-term upside potential driven by quantum computing.
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Quantum computing is gradually moving from experimental technology to commercialization. According to forecasts by consulting firm MarketsandMarkets, the global quantum computing market will expand from US$3.5 billion in 2025 to US$20.2 billion in 2030.
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However, betting on quantum-only companies with extremely low revenue and high ongoing research and development (R&D) costs can be risky. A more balanced approach would be to invest in diversified technology leaders that offer quantum computing operations, but that can support their efforts in this new space with their profitable, established businesses.
These two stocks meet these criteria.
NVIDIA(NASDAQ: NVDA) Already a dominant force in the global artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure market. The company is increasingly focused on selling rack-scale AI server systems, which combine chips, networking hardware and supporting software for training and inference (deploying in real time) large-scale AI models in data centers around the world.
The company also has excellent demand visibility, with management saying orders for its Blackwell processors and next-generation Rubin processors will exceed $500 billion from early 2025 to the end of 2026. As a result, the company is well-positioned to continue generating significant cash flow, which should boost its stock price.
Nvidia is also building a bridge between classical supercomputers and quantum computers through its NVQLink technology. This enables the system to offload critical tasks such as calibration, control and error mitigation to GPU-powered supercomputers with low latency and higher throughput. The resulting hybrid system will provide the platform to make quantum computing mainstream.
Building on this architecture, Nvidia partnered with Quantum Machines to launch the DGX Quantum system, launching an early access program in March 2025. The program allows research labs and quantum hardware companies to deploy the system in real-world settings. At the software level, Nvidia’s CUDA-Q open source platform enables developers to write programs that run optimally across CPUs, GPUs and quantum processors using a single programming framework.
As a result, Nvidia appears to be a safer way to participate in the advantages of quantum computing while avoiding the extreme volatility of pure bets.
Microsoft(NASDAQ:MSFT) is a prominent player in enterprise software and cloud computing. Its Azure cloud platform serves a large and sticky enterprise customer base, while its artificial intelligence assistant Copilot has grown recurring software revenue through its productivity and development tools.
However, it is not content with the status quo. The company aims to leverage its cloud capabilities to advance its quantum computing technology. Through Azure Quantum, the company provides customers with access to cloud-based high-performance computing systems, artificial intelligence models and an integrated stack of quantum processors. This enables customers to run hybrid quantum-classical workloads without owning quantum computing hardware.
Like other players in the field, Microsoft is developing logical qubits, which are composed of multiple physical qubits that are combined in a single state. This helps improve the error resistance and reliability of quantum computers. Microsoft and private startup Quantinuum built a 12-logic qubit system and performed end-to-end chemical simulations using logic qubits, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence technology. These milestones highlight the steady technological progress of Microsoft’s quantum computing capabilities.
Microsoft has launched the Majorana 1 quantum chip, which is based on a new topological qubit architecture and aims to reduce the cost of error correction. While it’s still experimental, if proven at scale, this approach could strengthen Azure’s competitive advantage in the long run.
All of these factors make Microsoft a lower-risk way to gain quantum exposure.
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Manali Pradhan, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool holds positions and recommends Microsoft and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: Long January 2026 Microsoft calls at $395 and short January 2026 Microsoft calls at $405. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
2 Quantum Computing Stocks to Buy in Early 2026 Originally published by The Motley Fool
