Introduction
Quantum computing is emerging as a transformative technology with the potential to reshape industries ranging from pharmaceuticals and materials science to cybersecurity, financial services, and artificial intelligence. As companies compete to develop scalable quantum computers, intellectual property (IP) has become a critical component of their research and commercial strategies.
Top Quantum Computing Companies and their Technology Focus
1. IBM
Total quantum patent families: 4,388
IBM has one of the broadest quantum-computing patent portfolios, covering technologies across the physical quantum processor, control electronics, computing architectures and quantum software.
Its patents include superconducting qubits, quantum processor architectures, quantum gates, qubit control and readout, cryogenic systems, quantum error correction, quantum algorithms, quantum circuits and quantum-classical computing. IBM’s portfolio also extends into semiconductor and nanotechnology technologies supporting quantum hardware.
Technology concentration: IBM’s portfolio is strongly concentrated around superconducting quantum computing and quantum-computing architectures, with a substantial additional body of work around quantum algorithms and error correction. PatSnap’s classification data shows particularly significant activity in G06N 10, which covers quantum computing, together with H10N 60 and H01L 39 classifications associated with quantum/superconducting devices. Thus, IBM’s patent position spans almost the entire quantum-computing stack—from physical qubits and cryogenic hardware through control systems, processors and algorithms.
2. Google
Total quantum patent families: 2,385
Google’s quantum patent portfolio covers superconducting quantum processors, quantum circuits, qubit architectures, quantum gates, control and readout systems, quantum error correction, quantum algorithms and quantum-computing architectures. It also has patent activity around supporting semiconductor and nanotechnology technologies.
Technology concentration: The portfolio has a strong concentration around superconducting quantum computing. Google’s quantum-computing research has particularly focused on superconducting qubits and the development of error-corrected quantum processors. Its patents therefore cover both the physical implementation of superconducting processors and the techniques needed to operate them, including quantum control, error correction and computation. Google has also expanded its technology base through its acquisition of Atlantic Quantum, whose work centers on superconducting fluxonium qubits.
3. Microsoft
Total quantum patent families: 1,175
Microsoft’s quantum patent portfolio covers quantum-computing architectures, quantum algorithms, quantum error correction, qubit technologies, semiconductor devices, quantum software and quantum-classical computing systems. Its broader quantum strategy also encompasses quantum-cloud infrastructure and integration with external quantum processors.
Technology concentration: A notable concentration is Microsoft’s work on topological quantum computing and Majorana-based qubits. Its research has focused on developing topological qubits that could potentially provide improved protection against certain forms of quantum errors. At the same time, Microsoft has expanded beyond this hardware approach through its work with Atom Computing on neutral-atom quantum systems and through Azure Quantum. Consequently, Microsoft’s patent portfolio combines a strong topological/quantum-hardware research focus with software, algorithms and quantum-cloud technologies.
4. Origin Quantum
Total quantum patent families: 1,135
Origin Quantum’s portfolio covers quantum processors, superconducting qubits, quantum circuits, quantum control, quantum-computing architectures, quantum algorithms, quantum software and supporting hardware.
Technology concentration: The portfolio has a strong concentration around superconducting quantum computing. Origin Quantum is one of China’s prominent superconducting quantum-computing companies, and its patent activity extends across processor architecture, qubit implementation, control and operation. Its portfolio also includes software and algorithmic technologies supporting its quantum-computing systems. The large number of families reported for Origin Quantum is particularly significant in comparisons of Chinese and Western quantum patent activity.
5. D-Wave
Total quantum patent families: 975
D-Wave’s patents cover quantum annealing processors, superconducting qubits, quantum optimization, qubit architectures, quantum control, cryogenic systems, quantum algorithms and quantum-computing systems.
Technology concentration: D-Wave has a particularly strong concentration around quantum annealing. Unlike companies whose main approach is gate-model quantum computing, D-Wave’s technology has historically focused on specialized quantum systems for optimization and related computational problems. Its portfolio therefore contains substantial work on superconducting qubit arrangements, annealing architectures and control systems. Following D-Wave’s acquisition of Quantum Circuits, its broader technology portfolio also includes gate-model superconducting quantum computing and error-correction technologies.
6. Baidu
Total quantum patent families: 643
Baidu’s quantum patent portfolio covers quantum algorithms, quantum machine learning, quantum cloud computing, superconducting quantum processors, quantum error correction and quantum-computing applications.
Technology concentration: Baidu shows significant activity around quantum algorithms and quantum software, while also maintaining substantial work in superconducting quantum hardware. Its portfolio therefore spans both the computational and physical layers of quantum computing. Quantum machine learning and quantum cloud-computing technologies are particularly relevant areas in Baidu’s portfolio, alongside technologies for quantum error correction and superconducting processors.
7. IonQ
Total quantum patent families: 546
IonQ’s patents cover trapped-ion quantum processors, ion traps, laser systems, qubit control, quantum gates, quantum networking, quantum algorithms, quantum error correction and quantum-computing architectures.
Technology concentration: IonQ has a clear concentration around trapped-ion quantum computing. Its patents address the technologies required to trap, manipulate and measure individual ions as quantum bits. This includes optical and laser-based control, ion-trap structures, quantum gates and methods for improving fidelity and scalability. Its portfolio therefore differs substantially from the superconducting-focused portfolios of IBM, Google and Rigetti.
8. Rigetti Computing
Total quantum patent families: 428
Rigetti’s portfolio covers superconducting qubits, quantum processor architectures, quantum circuits, qubit control, readout systems, quantum fabrication, quantum algorithms and quantum-computing infrastructure.
Technology concentration: Rigetti has a strong concentration around superconducting quantum processors. Its patents address several layers of the superconducting hardware stack, including qubit structures, processor architectures, fabrication and control. Additional patents cover quantum circuits and algorithms. This makes Rigetti particularly relevant to a landscape focused on the engineering and scalability of superconducting quantum processors.
9. Intel
Total quantum patent families: 428
Intel’s quantum patent portfolio covers silicon spin qubits, quantum dots, semiconductor fabrication, cryogenic electronics, qubit control, quantum processors, quantum interconnects and quantum-computing architectures.
Technology concentration: Intel’s most distinctive concentration is around silicon-based quantum computing and semiconductor-compatible quantum devices. Rather than focusing primarily on superconducting circuits or trapped ions, Intel has investigated quantum dots and silicon spin qubits that can potentially leverage established semiconductor manufacturing technologies. Its portfolio therefore sits at the intersection of quantum computing and advanced semiconductor engineering.
10. Quantinuum
Total quantum patent families: 373
Quantinuum’s portfolio covers trapped-ion quantum processors, ion trapping, quantum gates, quantum error correction, quantum algorithms, quantum software, quantum networking, quantum cryptography and quantum applications.
Technology concentration: A major concentration is around trapped-ion quantum computing, inherited from Honeywell’s quantum-computing technology base. However, Quantinuum’s portfolio is broader than hardware alone. Its other major areas include quantum software, quantum error correction and quantum cybersecurity/cryptography. This makes Quantinuum an example of a company with significant IP across both the physical quantum-computing layer and the software/application layer.
11. Toshiba
Total quantum patent families: 197
Toshiba’s quantum patent portfolio covers superconducting quantum technologies, quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum key distribution, quantum cryptography, photonic technologies and supporting hardware.
Technology concentration: Toshiba’s portfolio is somewhat different from companies focused exclusively on quantum computing. A significant concentration exists around quantum communication and quantum key distribution, alongside superconducting quantum technologies. Therefore, Toshiba should be considered a broader quantum-technology company in a patent landscape rather than simply a quantum-computer manufacturer. Its IP spans both quantum computing and quantum-secure communications. The Entangled Future 2026 tracker reports 197 quantum patent families.
12. Alibaba
Total quantum patent families: 95
Alibaba’s quantum patent portfolio covers quantum algorithms, quantum machine learning, quantum cloud computing, quantum simulation and quantum-computing applications.
Technology concentration: Alibaba has a comparatively strong concentration around quantum algorithms and quantum software/cloud technologies rather than physical quantum-processor manufacturing. Its work includes algorithms for optimization and machine learning as well as infrastructure for accessing quantum computing through cloud services. Consequently, Alibaba is particularly relevant when analyzing the software and application layer of the quantum ecosystem.
13. Infleqtion
Total quantum patent families: 93
Infleqtion’s patents cover neutral-atom quantum computing, optical tweezers, atomic qubits, Rydberg atoms, quantum sensing, atomic clocks, quantum networking and quantum control.
Technology concentration: Infleqtion has a clear concentration around neutral-atom quantum technologies. Its patent activity includes techniques for trapping and manipulating individual atoms, forming atomic qubit arrays and controlling Rydberg states. It also has substantial technology around quantum sensing and atomic clocks, meaning its portfolio extends beyond quantum computing into other quantum technologies.
14. Xanadu
Total quantum patent families: 70
Xanadu’s patents cover photonic quantum computing, optical quantum circuits, photonic qubits, squeezed-light sources, bosonic quantum systems, quantum error correction, quantum algorithms and quantum software.
Technology concentration: Xanadu has a very clear concentration around photonic quantum computing. Its approach uses photons and optical components rather than superconducting circuits or trapped ions. Its patent activity consequently includes photonic sources, optical circuits, bosonic encoding and photonic quantum processors. Quantum error correction and photonic implementations of fault-tolerant computing are also important areas.
15. Atos
Total quantum patent families: 44
Atos’s quantum-related patents cover quantum algorithms, quantum circuit compilation, quantum programming, hybrid quantum-classical computing, quantum-computing architectures and quantum simulation.
Technology concentration: Unlike IBM, Google or IonQ, Atos does not show the same concentration around a particular physical qubit technology. Its patents are more heavily oriented toward the software, algorithmic and computational infrastructure layers of quantum computing. Key areas include quantum circuit optimization and compilation, methods for executing quantum algorithms and integration of quantum and classical computational resources.
16. Amazon
Total quantum patent families: 40
Amazon’s quantum-related patents cover quantum computing, quantum-cloud infrastructure, quantum-classical computing, quantum algorithms, quantum error correction and quantum hardware architectures.
Technology concentration: Amazon’s quantum activity is particularly connected to quantum-cloud computing and the integration of quantum processors with conventional cloud infrastructure. Through AWS Braket, Amazon provides access to quantum computers from multiple hardware providers, while its own research has also explored quantum hardware and error correction. Its patent portfolio therefore has a stronger infrastructure and platform orientation than companies whose principal focus is manufacturing quantum processors.
17. ISARA Corporation
Total quantum-related patent families: 31
ISARA’s patents cover post-quantum cryptography, quantum-safe encryption, cryptographic key exchange, digital certificates, crypto-agility and hybrid classical/post-quantum security systems.
Technology concentration: ISARA has a very clear concentration around post-quantum cybersecurity rather than quantum-computer hardware. Its patents address the security consequences of quantum computing—particularly the possibility that sufficiently powerful quantum computers could compromise existing public-key cryptography. Therefore, ISARA should be categorized under quantum security/post-quantum cryptography in a technology landscape rather than under quantum processor technologies.
18. Quantum Circuits
Total quantum patent families: 30
Quantum Circuits’ patents cover superconducting quantum processors, superconducting qubits, cat-qubit architectures, dual-rail qubits, quantum error correction, quantum gates and modular quantum computing.
Technology concentration: The company’s portfolio has a strong concentration around superconducting qubits and quantum error correction, particularly architectures designed to improve error detection and fault tolerance. Cat-qubit and bosonic approaches are important areas within this portfolio. Quantum Circuits was acquired by D-Wave in 2026, so its historical IP is now relevant to D-Wave’s broader superconducting quantum-computing portfolio.
19. QC Ware
Total quantum patent families: 26
QC Ware’s patents cover quantum algorithms, quantum machine learning, quantum optimization, quantum chemistry, quantum finance, data-loading circuits and quantum software.
Technology concentration: QC Ware is primarily concentrated around the software and algorithmic layer of quantum computing rather than physical quantum processors. Its portfolio includes algorithms for optimization, machine learning and simulation as well as technologies for efficiently loading classical data into quantum systems. This makes QC Ware particularly relevant to a patent landscape covering quantum applications and algorithms.
20. Alice & Bob
Total quantum patent families: 23
Alice & Bob’s patent portfolio covers cat qubits, superconducting quantum circuits, bosonic quantum error correction, GKP codes, quantum gates and fault-tolerant quantum computing.
Technology concentration: Alice & Bob has a particularly clear concentration around cat-qubit technology. Cat qubits are superconducting quantum systems designed to encode quantum information in a way that can provide some degree of protection against specific error mechanisms. The company’s patent strategy therefore focuses strongly on the physical implementation of cat qubits and the associated error-correction architecture rather than covering many unrelated quantum-computing platforms.
21. Atom Computing
Total quantum patent families: 22
Atom Computing’s patents cover neutral-atom quantum processors, optical trapping, atomic qubits, optical tweezer arrays, quantum control, quantum error correction and logical qubits.
Technology concentration: Atom Computing has a clear concentration around neutral-atom quantum computing. Its IP addresses the creation and manipulation of arrays of individual atoms as qubits, together with technologies for scaling these arrays and implementing error-corrected logical qubits. This places Atom Computing in the same broad technology family as Infleqtion, although the companies have developed their own approaches and systems.
22. Diraq
Total quantum patent families: 11
Diraq’s portfolio covers silicon spin qubits, quantum dots, CMOS-compatible quantum devices, semiconductor fabrication, qubit control and quantum error correction.
Technology concentration: Diraq has a clear concentration around silicon-based quantum computing and CMOS-compatible qubit technology. The company’s approach attempts to use semiconductor-compatible structures to create scalable quantum processors. Consequently, its patent portfolio sits very close to the intersection between quantum computing and conventional semiconductor manufacturing, making it particularly relevant to a technology landscape focused on scalable quantum-chip fabrication.
23. NVIDIA
Total quantum patent families: 10
NVIDIA’s quantum-related patents cover quantum-classical computing, quantum circuit simulation, GPU acceleration of quantum workloads, quantum error correction, quantum processors and high-speed interconnects between quantum and classical computing systems.
Technology concentration: NVIDIA’s strongest concentration is around the classical computing infrastructure supporting quantum computers, rather than the physical manufacture of qubits. Its technologies connect GPUs and classical supercomputers with quantum processors, enabling hybrid quantum-classical workloads and accelerated quantum simulation. Its CUDA-Q ecosystem and quantum-classical interconnect work therefore place its IP primarily at the quantum/HPC integration layer.
24. Strangeworks
Total quantum patent families: 3
Strangeworks’ patent portfolio covers quantum software, quantum-cloud access, quantum-computing orchestration and hardware-agnostic quantum computing.
Technology concentration: The small portfolio is concentrated around the quantum software and orchestration layer rather than physical quantum hardware. Its technology addresses how users and applications interact with different quantum-computing resources and how quantum workloads can be managed across quantum platforms.
The reported three-family figure is an estimated/unverified figure and should therefore be treated cautiously in a formal patent landscape.
25. Atlantic Quantum
Total quantum patent families: 1
Atlantic Quantum’s patent activity covers superconducting fluxonium qubits, quantum gates, superconducting circuits and long-coherence quantum processors.
Technology concentration: The company’s technology was highly concentrated around fluxonium-based superconducting qubits and techniques intended to improve coherence and quantum-gate performance. Atlantic Quantum was acquired by Google, so its historical patents are now particularly relevant when examining Google’s superconducting-qubit portfolio and the evolution of Google’s technology through acquisition.
Other than this ,major corporations from banking to aerospace are collaborating with quantum startups and filing joint patents to hedge against future disruptions.
JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America have all secured quantum patents despite not building quantum hardware themselves – a clear signal that patents in this space represent strategic positioning for the quantum era.
Analysis of the Data
| Rank | Company | Quantum Patent Families | Main Technology Area | Technology Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IBM | 4,388 | Quantum hardware, algorithms, error correction | Superconducting quantum computing |
| 2 | 2,385 | Qubits, processors, algorithms, error correction | Superconducting qubits | |
| 3 | Microsoft | 1,175 | Qubits, algorithms, architectures, quantum software | Topological/Majorana quantum computing |
| 4 | Origin Quantum | 1,135 | Processors, qubits, control systems, quantum software | Superconducting quantum computing |
| 5 | D-Wave | 975 | Quantum annealing, qubits, optimization, control | Quantum annealing |
| 6 | Baidu | 643 | Quantum algorithms, QML, hardware, cloud computing | Quantum algorithms/software and superconducting technology |
| 7 | IonQ | 546 | Trapped ions, quantum gates, control, networking | Trapped-ion quantum computing |
| 8 | Rigetti Computing | 428 | Qubits, processors, control, fabrication | Superconducting quantum computing |
| 9 | Intel | 428 | Silicon qubits, semiconductor devices, cryogenic electronics | Silicon spin qubits |
| 10 | Quantinuum | 373 | Quantum hardware, software, error correction, networking | Trapped-ion quantum computing |
| 11 | Toshiba | 197 | Quantum computing, communication, cryptography | Quantum communication/QKD and superconducting technology |
| 12 | Alibaba | 95 | Quantum algorithms, QML, cloud computing | Quantum algorithms/software |
| 13 | Infleqtion | 84 | Neutral atoms, quantum sensing, atomic clocks | Neutral-atom quantum computing |
| 14 | Xanadu | 70* | Photonic qubits, optical circuits, algorithms, error correction | Photonic quantum computing |
| 15 | Atos | 44 | Quantum algorithms, compilation, programming, hybrid computing | Quantum software and algorithms |
| 16 | Amazon | 40 | Quantum cloud, hardware, algorithms, error correction | Quantum-cloud infrastructure |
| 17 | ISARA Corporation | 31* | Cryptography, quantum-safe security, key exchange | Post-quantum cryptography |
| 18 | Quantum Circuits | 30* | Superconducting qubits, quantum gates, error correction | Cat/dual-rail superconducting qubits |
| 19 | QC Ware | 26* | Quantum algorithms, QML, optimization, quantum software | Quantum software and algorithms |
| 20 | Alice & Bob | 23* | Cat qubits, superconducting circuits, error correction | Cat-qubit technology |
| 21 | Atom Computing | 22* | Neutral atoms, optical trapping, logical qubits | Neutral-atom quantum computing |
| 22 | Diraq | 11* | Silicon qubits, quantum dots, CMOS technology | Silicon spin qubits |
| 23 | NVIDIA | 10* | GPU/quantum integration, simulation, error correction | Quantum-HPC integration |
| 24 | Strangeworks | 3* | Quantum software, cloud access, orchestration | Quantum software |
| 25 | Atlantic Quantum | 1* | Fluxonium, superconducting circuits, quantum gates | Fluxonium superconducting qubits |
Note: Patent counts refer primarily to quantum-related patent families rather than individual patent publications. Counts marked with an asterisk (*) are based on different databases, methodologies, company disclosures, or estimates. Patent-family counts can vary depending on the database, search strategy, assignee normalization, family definition, and publication date.
- One important conclusion from this data is – from a total of 13,172, 10,058 i.e 76% of the total patents are filed by the top-5 companies , suggesting a higher apex concentration of quantum computing patents.
Growth Rate of Quantum Related Patents
Analysis in the MIT Quantum Index Report, built on WIPO data, shows quantum technology filings rising roughly fivefold across 2014–2024.
Over 5,000 quantum-related patents were filed in 2023 alone, with a further 13% increase in patents granted globally in 2024.
Quantum computing patent families specifically grew more than 300% between 2016 and 2021, and quantum computing patents ran at roughly a 49% average annual growth rate across 2019–2023 — figures drawn from WIPO records in the MIT Quantum Index Report and the Foley analysis of foundational quantum filings.
Distribution of Quantum Computing Patents
Across quantum computing patent families, corporations hold about 54% and universities about 37% — a combined 91% — with governments, non-profits and individual inventors splitting the remaining 9%. That heavy academic weight is the fingerprint of a technology still crossing from research into product.
Technology Clusters
Quantum computing spans several competing hardware modalities — superconducting, trapped-ion, photonic, neutral-atom and topological qubits — plus a fast-growing error-correction layer and a software layer of quantum algorithms, each moving at a different speed and each with a different set of leaders.
The landscape connects directly to the sector next door: quantum control electronics, cryogenics and qubit fabrication overlap heavily with the semiconductor patent landscape, so a serious read has to reach across classification boundaries rather than stopping at a single technology class.
- Qubit modalities — superconducting (IBM, Google), trapped-ion (IonQ, Quantinuum), photonic, neutral-atom and topological approaches, each a separate hardware race with different incumbents.
- Quantum error correction — the fastest-shifting layer, where the US holds about 87 QEC patents against China’s 69, and IBM and Google lead the corporate field.
- Logical qubits — a narrow but strategically decisive niche of roughly 117 patents globally, of which the US holds about 56.
- Control, readout and cryogenics — the classical hardware around the qubit, where the overlap with semiconductor and electronics IP is heaviest.
- Quantum algorithms and software — the G06N-dominated layer, spanning error mitigation, compilation and domain-specific algorithms.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Which company has the most quantum computing patents?
IBM is identified as the leading quantum computing patent applicant in several recent patent landscape studies. A June 2026 PatSnap analysis reported 4,388 patent families for IBM, although counts vary by database and methodology.
2. How many quantum computing patents does IBM have?
The number depends on the definition of a patent and the scope of the search. PatSnap reported 4,388 IBM patent families in its June 2026 analysis, while PatentVest reported 601 families in its 2015–2025 study.
3. Does Google have more quantum computing patents than Microsoft?
In the June 2026 PatSnap dataset, Google had 2,385 patent families compared with 1,175 for Microsoft Technology Licensing. These figures represent the specific dataset and applicant definitions used by that study.
4. Which Chinese companies are active in quantum computing patenting?
Origin Quantum, Baidu, Tencent, Alibaba, and Huawei are among the Chinese organizations identified in quantum computing patent landscape studies.
5. Where can I search for quantum computing patents?
Researchers can use Google Patents, WIPO PATENTSCOPE, Espacenet, and national patent office databases. These resources provide access to patent publications, bibliographic information, and, depending on the database, family and legal-status information.
6. Are more quantum computing patents an indication of better technology?
Not necessarily. Patent quantity measures the volume of patent activity, not the technical quality or commercial value of inventions. Claim scope, legal status, citations, implementation, and technological relevance must also be considered.
7. What is the difference between quantum computing patents and quantum technology patents?
Quantum computing patents focus on computational systems, algorithms, processors, and related technologies. Quantum technology patents cover a broader field that may include quantum communication, quantum sensing, quantum cryptography, and other quantum-enabled applications.
References :
- https://arapackelaw.com/patents/quantum-computing-patents/
- https://www.patsnap.com/resources/blog/rd-blog/quantum-computing-patent-landscape-patent-data/
- https://www.legal500.com/intelligence/united-kingdom/technology/quantum-computing-and-patenting
- https://www.perspireip.com/services/market-research/quantum-computing/
- https://builtin.com/hardware/quantum-computing-companies
- https://academic.oup.com/jiplp/article/17/8/613/6646536
- https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/new-mit-report-captures-state-quantum-computing
- https://www.patsnap.com/resources/blog/rd-blog/quantum-computing-patent-landscape/
- https://entangledfuture.com/patents/
- https://entangledfuture.com/patents/areas/superconducting-qubits/
- https://entangledfuture.com/patents/areas/quantum-algorithms/
- https://entangledfuture.com/guides/quantum-patent-strategy/
- https://investors.xanadu.ai/static-files/
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