WisdomTree’s Quantum ETF Targets Computing’s New ‘Empirical Phase’ - IBM (NYSE:IBM), IonQ (NYSE:IONQ)

WisdomTree's latest thematic ETF launch, the WisdomTree Quantum Computing Fund (BATS:WQTM), aims to capture a technology shift that could one day redefine computation itself.

While quantum computing is still emerging from the lab, Chris Gannatti, global head of Research at WisdomTree, believes the field is now entering an "empirical phase", a stage where experimentation and early commercialization are feeding off each other in ways that could reshape industries from finance to pharmaceuticals.

"Quantum computing is steadily moving from theoretical promise to practical experimentation," Gannatti told Benzinga. "It's premature to call this an ‘electricity moment’…..We're crossing into a stage of empirical validation—still experimental, but increasingly guided by real-world data rather than pure theory."

That shift, he explained, is being driven by three converging forces: stable hardware prototypes, expanding software ecosystems, and meaningful early use cases. Companies like IBM (NYSE:IBM), IonQ Inc (NYSE:IONQ), and Quantinuum are already allowing researchers to test algorithms on real machines through cloud access, marking a tangible step toward the commercialization of quantum computing.

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Why Quantum, Why Now

For investors wondering whether quantum is still too futuristic, Gannatti said the timing is strategic. "Early exposure today offers potential for asymmetric upside," he said. "Investing now isn't about immediate payoff—it's about positioning before scalability, talent, and capital flows make entry far more expensive."

While some view quantum as a "10-year story," he believes timelines are compressing. "IBM—hardly a speculative player—expects practical quantum advantage by 2029–2030. We're entering the pre-commercial ramp, where real progress compounds quietly," he noted.

The recent 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics added further validation, awarded to John Clarke, Michel Devoret, and John Martinis for their work on superconducting circuits—a core component of modern quantum processors. "It signals that foundational physics is now explicitly linked to quantum computing's engineering frontier," said Gannatti.

Capturing The Full Quantum Value Chain

WQTM tracks the WisdomTree Classiq Quantum Computing Index, co-developed with quantum software specialist Classiq. The fund doesn't just chase hardware pioneers, it spans the entire ecosystem.

"The fund goes beyond qubit hardware to encompass the full value chain," Gannatti explained. "That includes companies building chips and algorithms, delivering quantum-as-a-service, advancing post-quantum cryptography, and supplying enabling infrastructure like semiconductors, materials, and precision tools."

Given the nascency of pure-play quantum companies, WQTM balances exposure by including established technology leaders pursuing quantum R&D. "The pure play companies can be quite volatile," he said, "so large, established players may also lead to potentially being a bit of ballast in the overall exposure."

To keep the fund's focus authentic, WisdomTree applies a two-step classification: "relevancy" and "purity." Companies are evaluated for how directly their core business contributes to quantum development and what share of revenues or R&D efforts are tied to it. "This ensures WQTM captures genuine innovators without being dominated by large incumbents whose exposure is only peripheral," Gannatti said.

Early Use Cases: From Pharma To Cybersecurity

Among industries, Gannatti sees pharmaceuticals, materials science, and finance as the earliest beneficiaries, where quantum optimization and molecular simulation can "directly accelerate discovery and risk modeling."

Cybersecurity, meanwhile, offers a more tangible near-term theme. "While headlines often focus on the threat of Shor's algorithm breaking RSA encryption, that scenario still requires quantum capabilities far beyond what exists today," he said. "But WQTM includes companies advancing post-quantum cryptography and quantum-safe communications—those working on encryption methods already being tested by governments and major enterprises."

AI And Quantum: Today Vs Tomorrow

As AI ETFs dominate flows, Gannatti sees quantum as a complementary long-duration theme. "AI is the defining ‘today' technology," he said. "Quantum represents the ‘tomorrow' frontier—its impact curve is steeper but still in formation. If AI expands what's computationally possible now, quantum will redefine what's fundamentally computable in the decades ahead."

In framing today's quantum moment, he draws a historical parallel: "It most closely resembles the early internet era—when infrastructure was quietly being built, protocols defined, and only a handful of people grasped the scale of transformation ahead."

In short, WQTM isn't a play for the impatient. It's a bet on the scaffolding of the next computational revolution—a portfolio built for investors willing to wait for the quantum internet moment to arrive.

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