The Quantum Computing Race Is On: Meet The ETF Capturing Sector-Wide Momentum

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Tech’s next major frontier is quantum computing, and a massive wave of capital from Washington to Wall Street is powering the industry's expansion. Federal mandates are accelerating post-quantum defense, Honeywell (HON) spinoff Quantinuum (QNT) recently completed its landmark IPO, and enterprise powerhouses like JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and BMW are putting quantum algorithms to work.

For investors, the challenge is picking a winner. Pure-play quantum stocks have experienced violent swings this year, while tech giants throw billions into internal labs. Buying a single stock means betting on one specific architecture in a race that remains wide open.

The Defiance Quantum ETF (QTUM) takes a different approach: own the entire race in a single trade. Up around 30% YTD, QTUM captures the sector's momentum by spreading exposure across roughly 88 companies building the quantum future.

Quantum Computing Is Now a National Priority

The federal government has put real weight behind quantum computing. Executive orders signed in June set a 2028 deadline for a national quantum computer by establishing post-quantum cryptography mandates. The policy shift treats quantum computing the way earlier administrations treated the space race: as a strategic technology the United States intends to lead.

That backing is flowing into the private sector. Quantum companies collectively received more than $2 billion in committed federal incentives, enterprise adoption is expanding beyond experimentation into production use cases, and the sector has become one of the most actively traded corners of the market.

Why Picking a Single Quantum Winner Is So Difficult

Quantum computing is still early enough that fundamental questions remain unsettled. Different companies are pursuing entirely different technical approaches, from trapped ions to superconducting qubits to photonics, and it is genuinely unclear which architecture will scale first. 

The stocks reflect that uncertainty. 

Several prominent pure-play quantum names are down more than 20% this year even as the broader theme has gained momentum, while some larger diversified companies with quantum programs have been among the market's best performers.

That is the profile of an industry where the theme is strong, but the winner is unknown. In these situations, concentrated bets carry enormous risk in either direction, and a diversified approach lets investors participate in the industry's growth without needing to call the winner in advance.

Invest in the Quantum Momentum With QTUM

The Defiance Quantum ETF (QTUM) tracks the BlueStar Machine Learning and Quantum Computing Index (BQTUM), a rules-based index of liquid companies across the global quantum computing and machine learning industries. Holdings span pure-play quantum developers, the semiconductor and equipment companies building the chips and components quantum systems depend on, and global technology leaders with major quantum research programs.

• Approximately 88 holdings across the quantum and machine learning value chain
• 0.40% expense ratio with more than $5.4 billion in net assets
• Balanced exposure with no single stock dominating: top holdings each represent less than 2% of the fund
• Established track record with an inception date of September 2018, making it one of the longest-running quantum-focused ETFs on the market
• Listed on Nasdaq and rebalanced to the index on a rules-based schedule

That balanced structure is the point. When a pure-play quantum name doubles on a breakthrough, QTUM participates. When one stumbles, the diversified holdings cushion the impact. No single company's roadmap can sink the portfolio, and no single winner needs to be picked in advance.

Top holdings as of August 13, 2026:

The fund's exposure spans five subsectors: machine learning services, AI and application chips, big data and cloud computing, quantum computing technology, and GPU and other hardware. QTUM holds a blend of U.S. and international companies, with the majority of holdings based in the United States and the remainder spread across technology leaders in the Netherlands, Japan, Taiwan, and other markets, giving the fund global reach across the full quantum supply chain.

QTUM has delivered on that design, gaining significantly in 2026, while several of the most prominent single quantum stocks posted double-digit declines over the same stretch.

The Quantum Race Is Just Getting Started

Quantum computing has federal backing, accelerating enterprise adoption, and a wave of capital flowing into the industry. What it does not have is a settled winner, and that is precisely the argument for owning the theme broadly rather than betting on a single stock. For investors who believe quantum computing is one of the defining technology races of the decade, the Defiance Quantum ETF (QTUM) offers exposure to the entire industry in a single trade.

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