ARQQ vs IONQ Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
Arqit Quantum and IonQ both offer exposure to quantum technology, but they target very different applications: Arqit focuses narrowly on quantum-safe encryption and key distribution for cybersecurity, while IonQ is building general-purpose quantum computing hardware using trapped-ion technology for a broad range of computational applications, both remaining early-stage, speculative, pre-profitability companies.
Arqit offers focused, more narrowly-scoped exposure to quantum-safe encryption for cybersecurity applications, while IonQ offers broader exposure to general-purpose quantum computing hardware with a larger addressable market but similarly high execution risk. Both remain speculative, early-stage investments; consider which specific quantum technology application you believe will achieve commercial viability first.
IONQ holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. IONQ has delivered stronger 1-year price return (-54.84% vs -67.34%), though ARQQ has the better forward P/E setup (-18.92x vs -30.87x for IONQ). On fundamentals, ARQQ is growing revenue faster (829.90%), while IONQ maintains the higher operating margin (-408.17%) — a classic growth-versus-profitability split.
Human Wall Street analysts' price targets, typically implying a ~12-month view — a separate signal from this site's own AI Prediction Signal further down the page, which is a 5-/30-day machine-learning forecast based on price history alone.
- Want focused, narrowly-scoped exposure to quantum-safe encryption and cybersecurity applications
- Believe the urgent need for quantum-resistant encryption will drive government and enterprise contract wins
- Are comfortable with a smaller, more speculative company facing significant cash runway considerations
- Prefer a differentiated, specific technology application over broad general-purpose quantum computing exposure
- Want broader exposure to general-purpose quantum computing hardware with a larger potential addressable market
- Value IonQ's established cloud partnerships providing distribution for its quantum computing systems
- Believe trapped-ion technology represents a differentiated, promising path toward commercial quantum advantage
- Are comfortable paying a premium valuation for long-term, unproven quantum computing potential
| Metric | ARQQ | IONQ |
|---|---|---|
| AI scorei | 22.4 | 44.6 |
| AI ranki | #4012 | #769 |
| Latest closei | $14.25 | $28.17 |
| 1M returni | -42.12% | -35.64% |
| 3M returni | -22.76% | -27.49% |
| 6M returni | -1.18% | -38.43% |
| 1Y returni | -67.34% | -54.84% |
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | ARQQ | IONQ |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $3.5K (-65.0%) started 2025-11-03 | $4.82K (-51.8%) started 2025-11-03 |
| 5Y ago | $253.33 (-97.5%) started 2021-11-03 | $18.35K (+83.5%) started 2021-11-03 |
| 10Y ago | $593.75 (-94.1%) started 2021-04-01 | $26.08K (+160.8%) started 2021-01-04 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | ARQQ | IONQ |
|---|---|---|
| Market capi | $348.92M | $15.19B |
| Trailing P/Ei | N/A | N/A |
| Forward P/Ei | -18.92 | -30.87 |
| Price/Salesi | N/A | N/A |
| EV/Revenuei | 281.55 | 50.08 |
| Analyst targeti | N/A | $67.68 |
| Target upsidei | N/A | +80.47% |
| Metric | ARQQ | IONQ |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growthi | 829.90% | 286.80% |
| Earnings growthi | N/A | N/A |
| EPS growthi | N/A | N/A |
| FCF margini | -1814.26% | -35.61% |
| Operating margini | -4931.62% | -408.17% |
| Profit margini | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| ROIC proxyi | -220.21% | -60.48% |
| Return on equityi | -220.21% | -60.48% |
| Dividend yieldi | N/A | N/A |
| Payout ratioi | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend growth streaki | N/A | N/A |
| Betai | 2.28 | 3.30 |
| Debt/equityi | 7.62 | 1.63 |
| Current ratioi | 4.88 | 10.66 |
| Quick ratioi | 4.61 | 9.92 |
Over the past year, ARQQ and IONQ have moved moderately in the same direction (correlation of 0.59), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | ARQQ | IONQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | -65.01% | -51.76% |
| CAGRi | -65.14% | -51.88% | |
| Volatilityi | 112.63% | 91.10% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | -0.43 | -0.41 | |
| Sortino ratioi | -0.67 | -0.62 | |
| Max drawdowni | 71.08% | 60.91% | |
| Current drawdowni | 65.01% | 60.91% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 50.79% | 32.33% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 52.56% | 36.06% | |
| Max daily dropi | 18.75% | 14.37% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 32.54% | 29.63% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | -97.47% | +83.52% |
| CAGRi | -52.08% | +12.92% | |
| Volatilityi | 130.66% | 101.19% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.03 | 0.57 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.05 | 0.92 | |
| Max drawdowni | 99.60% | 90.00% | |
| Current drawdowni | 98.50% | 65.68% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 90.90% | 55.35% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 92.43% | 60.04% | |
| Max daily dropi | 42.09% | 39.00% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 57.72% | 42.22% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | -94.06% | +160.83% |
| CAGRi | -39.67% | +17.89% | |
| Volatilityi | 129.83% | 96.34% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.20 | 0.60 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.32 | 0.96 | |
| Max drawdowni | 99.60% | 90.00% | |
| Current drawdowni | 98.50% | 65.68% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 82.66% | 50.83% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 87.71% | 56.48% | |
| Max daily dropi | 42.09% | 39.00% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 57.72% | 42.22% |
| Category | ARQQ | IONQ |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Arqit Quantum Inc. | IonQ, Inc. |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Software - Infrastructure | Computer Hardware |
| Core business | A quantum encryption technology company developing quantum-safe encryption and key distribution products designed to protect data against future threats from quantum computing, targeting government and enterprise cybersecurity customers. | A quantum computing hardware company building general-purpose quantum computers using trapped-ion technology, offering cloud-based access to its quantum systems for research, enterprise, and government customers. |
| Investor focus | Government and enterprise contract wins, revenue visibility and growth from encryption product commercialization, and cash runway relative to ongoing operating losses. | Quantum computing performance milestones (qubit count and quality), cloud access revenue growth, and enterprise and government partnership expansion. |
- Focused, differentiated positioning in quantum-safe encryption, addressing a specific, well-defined cybersecurity need
- Potential government and defense sector customer relationships that could provide credibility and recurring revenue
- Quantum-safe encryption addresses an urgent, well-understood future threat as quantum computing advances
- Pursuing universal, general-purpose quantum computing with trapped-ion technology, a differentiated technical approach
- Established cloud partnerships providing broader distribution and access to its quantum computing systems
- Larger scale and more diversified government and enterprise partnership base than smaller quantum computing peers
- Very early-stage revenue generation with significant uncertainty around the pace of commercial contract wins
- Ongoing operating losses require careful monitoring of cash runway and potential future capital raises
- Smaller, more speculative company relative to well-funded, more established quantum computing competitors
- Quantum computing remains an early-stage, pre-commercial technology with significant execution and timeline risk
- Continues to operate at a loss while investing heavily in research and development toward commercial quantum advantage
- Premium valuation reflects high expectations for long-term quantum computing potential that remains unproven at commercial scale
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