Trump administration declines negotiations with quantum firms over equity stakes

The Trump administration has declined any negotiations for equity stakes in quantum computing companies, contradicting earlier reports that sent the sector's stocks soaring on Thursday.

As per CNBC, a US Commerce Department official confirmed that the department is "not currently negotiating with any of the companies," dispelling speculation that had gripped Wall Street.

In a statement, the spokesperson said:

​US commerce official confirms no active negotiations

Even though a string of media reports, mostly quoting unnamed sources, suggested the government was exploring deals, a Commerce Department official said that Washington is not currently in talks to take equity stakes in quantum computing firms.

That denial matters because the Trump administration has recently leaned into a new strategy: turning big federal grants into ownership stakes in companies the US sees as critical for national security.

The most high-profile example was the move to convert about $9 billion in grants into a nearly 10% stake in Intel.

In other words, people assumed quantum computing might be next. But the Commerce Department’s statement effectively shuts down that speculation, at least for now.

The rumor mill had been running for weeks, especially after Secretary Howard Lutnick’s team reportedly clawed back billions from tech R&D programs left over from the previous administration.

That cash-recovery effort led many to believe the money would be redeployed into new strategic bets like quantum.

Quantum stocks jump on Thursday after initial reports

The quantum computing stocks were witnessing a strong surge on Thursday, as investors were moving in fast to cash in on another sector backed by the US government.

Shares jumped between 7.8% and 16% across the sector, with market participants viewing potential government backing as validation of the technology's strategic importance.​

IonQ shares climbed 9.2% to approximately $60.52 during Thursday trading, recovering from a 6.81% decline the previous day when the stock closed at $55.45.

The quantum computing pioneer, which went public in 2021 as the first pure-play quantum company, has seen shares climb nearly 300% over the past year despite recent volatility.

Rigetti Computing clawed back some ground on Thursday, rising between 9% and 11% after taking a nearly 10% hit the day before.

The company, best known for offering quantum chips via the cloud, has been on a wild run overall, with its stock up more than 3,000% over the past year as investors pile into anything tied to quantum tech.

Meanwhile, D-Wave Quantum led the rebound. Its shares jumped roughly 13% to 16% on Thursday after a bruising 15% drop the previous day, when worries over possible US export restrictions to China sent the entire quantum sector into a tailspin.

On Wednesday, D-Wave had closed around $27.37 before snapping back.

The Defiance Quantum ETF, which tracks companies developing quantum computing and machine learning technologies, added between 1.3% and 2.6% during Thursday trading, building on its 32% gain for 2025.