Is Rigetti Computing’s New 2-Qubit Gate Fidelity Record a Reason to Buy the Stock?
Source type: Investing analysis / news Author: Keithen Drury Publisher: Motley Fool (via The Globe and Mail) Date: Published 2026 (exact date not in source) URL: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/markets/markets-news/Motley%20Fool/1263947/is-rigetti-computing-s-new-2-qubit-gate-fidelity-record-a-reason-to-buy-the-stock/
Overview
Evaluates whether Rigetti Computing’s (NASDAQ: RGTI) announcement of a 99.9% 2-qubit gate fidelity record justifies buying its stock. Conclusion: no — competitors already exceed this, and the record was achieved only on a small prototype, not at scale.
Key Technical Points
2-Qubit Gate Fidelity as the Standard Accuracy Metric
2-qubit gate fidelity measures accuracy after a computation passes through two quantum logic gates. Higher is better:
| Company | Fidelity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ionq | 99.99% | Achieved October 2025 |
| rigetti-computing | 99.9% (small prototype) | New record (as of article) |
| rigetti-computing | 99% | Its 108-qubit production system |
The difference between 99.9% and 99.99% is “huge” in the quantum-computing context — each operation compounds errors.
Scaling Problem
- Rigetti achieved 99.9% only in an R&D prototype; its production 108-qubit system achieves only 99% fidelity.
- This suggests Rigetti’s technology is not scaling well — higher qubit counts are introducing more errors rather than fewer (the opposite of what google-quantum-ai’s Willow chip demonstrated; see cottier-2026-quantum-computing-breakthroughs).
Competitive Landscape
Key competitors with superior or differentiated positions:
- ionq — Trapped-ion approach; industry-leading 99.99% fidelity
- Microsoft — Deep pockets; topological qubit approach
- Alphabet (google-quantum-ai) — Willow chip; superconducting leader
Drury recommends focusing on market leaders or differentiated players rather than Rigetti, or alternatively using a quantum computing ETF for diversified exposure.
Investor Takeaway
Rigetti is “in the mix” but not leading. The article cautions that small-cap pure-play quantum stocks carry high risk; large incumbents (Microsoft, Google/Alphabet) have resources that dwarf Rigetti’s.
Entities Mentioned
- rigetti-computing — Subject company (NASDAQ: RGTI); superconducting quantum hardware
- ionq — Competitor; trapped-ion approach; higher fidelity
- google-quantum-ai (Alphabet) — Competitor; Willow chip
- Microsoft — Competitor; topological qubits