Quantum computing has already rapidly shifted from research papers and laboratories into early commercial deployments. Investors can now purchase shares of several publicly traded quantum computing stocks, allowing them to gain exposure to this budding market in their portfolios.

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When looking at the business (or lack thereof) for IonQ, the near future looks a lot like the past: research and development. Investors who own IonQ are betting on a radical breakthrough in quantum computing technology that would be a once-in-a-century scientific discovery. My money would be on this not happening.