Insider Brief
- The global quantum technology industry is maturing, reaching $1.9 billion in 2025 and projected to exceed $4 billion by 2028 as revenues, investment, and workforce growth accelerate.
- Growth is being driven by measurable technical progress and expanding public and private investment, including $56.7 billion in total public funding and $4.9 billion in venture capital in 2025, alongside a 14% increase in the pure-play workforce.
- Industry expansion is reflected in rising revenues, increasing multinational participation, and intensified innovation, with over 7,400 organizations engaged globally and patent filings growing 31% year over year, led by China.
PRESS RELEASE — The global quantum technology industry made a significant stride toward maturity in 2025 and will continue its rapid growth trajectory, with revenues on track to double by 2028, according to the State of the Global Quantum Industry 2026 report released by the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C).
In 2025, the global quantum market reached $1.9 billion to include quantum computing at $1.4 billion and quantum sensing at $470 million, the global pure-play quantum workforce grew 14%, and private venture capital investment more than doubled.
According to the report, measurable technical progress, increased public and private investment, and a growing base of commercial and institutional participants were the key drivers of growth last year. Unlike previous years, industry momentum is no longer confined to research milestones alone, but is reflected in investment, workforce growth, and a sustained increase in revenue across regions and technology segments.
“Global public and private funding grew significantly in 2025, with governments and venture capital investors increasing commitments and companies hiring more workers,” said QED-C Executive Director Celia Merzbacher. “This year’s report underscores that the quantum technology industry is growing and maturing and is viewed around the world as strategically important.”
Market growth projection
The quantum computing market is projected to grow at a 30% annual rate to reach $3 billion by 2028, with a higher growth trajectory anticipated once quantum advantage is demonstrated for business-relevant problems. Quantum sensing is similarly expected to grow at a 32% annual rate, reaching $1.1 billion by 2028. Markets for quantum communications and security products are at an earlier stage. The total global market for quantum technologies is expected to double, exceeding $4 billion by 2028.
Composition
The QED-C report identified 7,418 quantum-engaged organizations worldwide at the end of 2025, including 556 pure-play quantum companies. The number of new pure-play companies founded in 2025 is up slightly from 2024, with mergers and acquisitions continuing as a means to expand capabilities: addressing gaps in market access, enabling technologies, or products. The quantum computing segment exhibits an increasingly multinational character.
Revenue
Overall, revenue at quantum computing-related companies is expected to accelerate. More than half of companies anticipate at least an 11% increase in revenue from 2025 to 2026, doubling from 2024 to 2025, with 37% of companies surveyed projecting more than 25% increase in revenue.
Investment
Public funding commitments for quantum research and innovation increased by more than $12.7 billion over the past year, reaching an estimated $56.7 billion total. Private venture capital investment in the quantum industry was $4.9 billion in 2025, more than doubling last year’s record high. Most global venture capital remains concentrated in the United States. U.S.-headquartered quantum companies raised more than $2.7 billion in venture capital in 2025, about $1 billion more than last year.
Workforce
Workforce expansion further underscores the sector’s evolution toward broad commercial scale. SGQI estimates that the global pure-play quantum workforce reached nearly 16,500 professionals in 2025, an increase of 2,000 workers in a single year, alongside sustained growth (11%) in job and internship openings. There was also a shift toward business-oriented roles, indicating a focus on commercialization and scalable execution.
Patents
While the U.S. leads in virtually all other survey categories globally, including new quantum startups with 19 in 2025, China led global quantum-related patent filings with 54% of the total filed last year. Total patent filings grew by 31% from 2024 to 2025, suggesting an intensified focus on innovation and commercialization. The U.S. remains the second-largest jurisdiction for patent filings.
The QED-C State of the Global Quantum Industry 2026 report provides a data-driven perspective on the industry’s composition, investment, market size, workforce, and intellectual property. The data on which the report is based was current as of the end of 2025, with historical and forward-looking comparisons made where possible. The full report can be downloaded here.
