Over the past year, quantum computing has emerged as one of the most compelling investment opportunities for growth investors. As enthusiasm for quantum computing has increased, IonQ (IONQ -3.86%) stock has garnered considerable interest as the company stands at the forefront of the nascent industry.
While quantum computing may seem like the stuff of the future, IonQ is already generating revenue -- and at a level that exceeds its quantum computing peers. In 2024, for example, IonQ reported revenue of $43.1 million. More recently, over the first three quarters of fiscal 2025, IonQ posted sales of $68.1 million. One of IonQ's closest quantum computing peers in terms of generating revenue, D-Wave Quantum (QBTS -0.38%), on the other hand, only reported sales of $21.8 million for the first three quarters of fiscal 2025.
With the new year upon us, IonQ stock price predictions may help inform a decision on whether the quantum computing powerhouse belongs on an investor's buy list.
NYSE: IONQ
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IonQ (IONQ) forecast
After skyrocketing 237% in 2024, IonQ's stock performance was much more modest in 2025. Underperforming the S&P 500, which rose 16.4%, IonQ stock only climbed 7.4% last year.
However, that's not to say the stock can't regain the upward momentum it enjoyed in 2024. The company's continued progress in securing partnerships and achieving technological milestones suggests that IonQ stock has ample potential to skyrocket in the near future.
Key drivers of IonQ stock's performance
After completing a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), IonQ stock debuted on public markets in 2021. From that time through the end of 2025, shares of IonQ stock have soared more than 387%.
Unsurprisingly, one of the major factors contributing to the stock's rise in the past has been IonQ's success in attracting the U.S. government's interest in the real-world applications of the company's technology. In September 2025, for example, IonQ announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the U.S. Department of Energy to explore how quantum computing capabilities could enhance communications with space-based assets. During IonQ's third-quarter 2025 conference call in November, management announced that it had approximately $1 billion in proposals submitted and highlighted the company's potential to win large-scale government contracts, such as those for the "Golden Dome" missile defense initiative.
Another factor that has pushed IonQ stock higher is its progress towards achieving a notable 2030 goal. Using trapped ion architecture in its quantum computers -- something that the company believes will make its quantum computers more scalable -- IonQ has targeted 2030 for having a quantum computer capable of 2 million qubits and 80,000 logical qubits by 2030. In September 2025, IonQ announced that its acquisition of Oxford Ionics seemed likely to close, bringing the company closer to achieving its 2030 target. Investors celebrated the news, and shares subsequently soared more than 18% on the announcement.
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Representing the first quantum computing company to appear on public markets, IonQ has distinguished itself as a leading option among quantum computing stocks that have subsequently become investment options. While the stock underperformed the market in 2025, there's no reason to suspect that the company's growth potential has diminished.
Investors eager to gain exposure to IonQ but who have lower risk tolerances may prefer putting money into a quantum computing exchange-traded fund (ETF) that includes IonQ among its holdings. Because there's no certainty that IonQ will succeed in its quantum computing endeavors, it's important to recognize that an IonQ investment also entails a fair degree of risk.
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