SUBSCRIBERS

The mind-bending complexities of quantum investing

There’s a lot of enthusiasm over what is increasingly seen as the next big frontier in computing

    • There have been a lot of numbers moving up and to the right this year as the valuations of publicly listed quantum companies have surged.
    • There have been a lot of numbers moving up and to the right this year as the valuations of publicly listed quantum companies have surged. PHOTO: PIXABAY
    Published Fri, Dec 26, 2025 · 05:00 PM

    THE brilliant physicist Richard Feynman once famously remarked that “nobody understands quantum mechanics” given the counter-intuitive absurdity of nature.

    To which the pragmatic response of some other researchers has been to “shut up and calculate”. Even lesser minds than Feynman’s can sometimes prove in practice what remains mystifying in theory.

    A similar reductionist view appears to have taken hold among investors trying to make money out of the current quantum boom. It is all too easy to get lost in the mind-bending complexities of the different modalities being explored to build a quantum computer.

    Decoding Asia newsletter: your guide to navigating Asia in a new global order. Sign up here to get Decoding Asia newsletter. Delivered to your inbox. Free.

    Share with us your feedback on BT's products and services