IonQ (NYSE:IONQ | IONQ Price Prediction) rose 20.16% on Tuesday, closing at $35.76, after the company announced two major catalysts: a photonic entanglement breakthrough between two separate commercial trapped-ion quantum systems and a contract win from DARPA’s Heterogeneous Architectures for Quantum (HARQ) program to develop high-speed quantum interconnects.
The DARPA HARQ selection positions IonQ to contribute quantum memories for networked quantum computing systems supporting national security applications. The photonic entanglement milestone is technically significant because it enables quantum computers to communicate across physical systems, a prerequisite for scalable quantum networks. These announcements build on a string of recent wins, including the first commercial sale of IonQ’s 256-qubit trapped-ion quantum system to Horizon Quantum Holdings and a $7.5 million multi-year QLab expansion with the University of Maryland.
The fundamental backdrop is equally strong. IonQ reported Q4 2025 revenue of $61.89 million, exceeding consensus estimates of $40.26 million, and became the first public quantum computing company to exceed $100 million in annual GAAP revenue. The company guided for full-year 2026 revenue of $225 million to $245 million, with Q1 2026 results expected to be reported soon.
Wall Street remains constructive: 10 analysts rate IONQ a Buy or Strong Buy against 3 Holds and zero Sells, with a consensus price target of $65.29, representing upside from the current $35.76 close. On Polymarket, traders assign a 48% probability that the U.S. federal government takes a direct stake in IonQ by year-end, a wildcard that could push shares higher. Investors should watch Q1 2026 earnings and progress on the pending SkyWater Technology acquisition, expected to close in Q2 or Q3 2026. For more on high-growth tech names making moves in today’s market, see today’s Daily Profit newsletter.
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