Industry Data
Quantum Computing Patent Filings
Estimated cumulative quantum computing patent filings by company, based on aggregated patent office data and industry analyst reports through 2026.
Figures are approximate and methodology varies by source — patent counting differs across jurisdictions and "quantum computing" patent classification isn't perfectly standardized. Use as directional indicators of R&D investment focus, not precise rankings.
Estimated Patents by Country (aggregated)
IBM
Superconducting qubits, error correction, quantum software
Superconducting hardware, quantum supremacy benchmarks
Microsoft
Topological qubits, quantum software stack (Q#)
Origin Quantum
Full-stack domestic quantum systems, quantum OS
Huawei
Quantum communication, quantum-safe networking
D-Wave
Quantum annealing hardware and software
Baidu
Quantum machine learning, quantum cloud platforms
Honeywell / Quantinuum
Trapped-ion hardware, QCCD architecture
Intel
Silicon spin qubits, cryogenic control electronics
Toshiba
Quantum key distribution, quantum sensing
NTT
Photonic quantum computing, quantum networking
Rigetti
Superconducting hardware, hybrid cloud access
IonQ
Trapped-ion hardware, algorithmic qubits
Xanadu
Photonic qubits, GKP error correction
Pasqal
Neutral atom hardware, optical tweezers
What patent activity reveals
IBM's commanding patent lead reflects its decades-long, broad quantum research program spanning hardware, software, and error correction — consistent with its position as the most established player covered in our Companies Database. China's aggregate patent activity across Origin Quantum, Huawei, and Baidu is substantial, though concentrated differently than the US — with notable strength in quantum communication and networking patents specifically, reflecting the national quantum communication infrastructure discussed in our Countries coverage.
Patents don't equal product leadership
A large patent portfolio indicates R&D investment and IP strategy, but doesn't necessarily translate to product or hardware leadership — D-Wave's relatively high patent count reflects its long history (since 1999) in a narrower technical area, while younger companies like IonQ and Xanadu have fewer patents but lead in specific hardware benchmarks discussed in our Hardware Database.