What Is the Best Quantum ETF for 2026? Top 5 Funds Compared
2026-10-16
Most quantum ETFs aren't really quantum funds. The largest, Defiance's QTUM, holds about 86 stocks with its top 10 making up just 18% of assets, while Global X's CHPX is nearly 80% semiconductors.
Only a few come close to pure-play. Here's a comparison of five funds QTUM, WQTM, CHPX, QANT and XQBT by fees, holdings, size and how much quantum exposure you actually get, plus the risks that matter in a theme this early.
Key Takeaways
Most quantum ETFs hold mainly enabling technology, not quantum startups. QTUM (about $5.4–5.7 billion, 0.40% fee) is the largest and broadest, CHPX is roughly 80% semiconductors, and WQTM is the closest of the five to pure-play, with at least five quantum specialists making up about 23% of assets in its top ten alone.
Fees barely separate these funds. They range from 0.40% (QTUM) to 0.50% (CHPX and QANT), so holdings, size and concentration matter far more than cost when choosing between them.
The five funds are not equally accessible or established. QANT is an Ireland-domiciled UCITS ETF that BlackRock says is not aimed at US residents, and XQBT launched in August 2026 with only about $1.5 million in assets and is slightly negative since inception.
What Is a Quantum ETF?
A quantum ETF is a fund that holds stocks tied to quantum computing. There are very few listed pure-play quantum companies, and they are volatile and often unprofitable, so most funds mix them with larger "enabling" companies such as chipmakers, cloud providers and hardware firms. That means the fund you buy may move with Nvidia or Micron as much as with a quantum startup. How much real quantum exposure you get varies a lot from fund to fund.
Top 5 Quantum ETFs at a Glance
Data from issuer pages dated October 14–15, 2026, except QTUM assets and WQTM and QTUM holdings counts, which come from Motley Fool's October 2026 coverage. Figures change daily.
1. QTUM — Best Known and Most Diversified
QTUM is the oldest and by far the largest quantum ETF. It holds about 86 companies, and its top ten make up only 18% of assets, led by Taiwan's Global Unichip (2.44%), Palantir (1.90%) and Elastic (1.86%). Its index is described as equal-weighted-style and rebalanced semiannually, so no single stock dominates.
The tradeoff is dilution. QTUM includes Nvidia, Microsoft and AMD alongside quantum names such as IBM, IonQ, Rigetti and D-Wave, so it behaves partly like an AI-and-computing fund. Motley Fool reported it had roughly tripled over five years and was up more than 40% in 2026 as of early October. ETF.com noted its price still sat about 11% below its 52-week high in late September.
2. WQTM — Closest to Pure-Play Among the Large Funds
WQTM launched in October 2025 and tracks a WisdomTree index co-developed with quantum software firm Classiq. As of October 14, its top ten were IBM (5.81%), IonQ (5.23%), Quantinuum (4.91%), Rigetti (4.71%), Fujitsu (4.44%), D-Wave (4.31%), GlobalFoundries (3.99%), Microsoft (3.92%), Amazon (3.73%) and Infleqtion (3.69%) about 45% of assets combined.
Counting IonQ, Quantinuum, Rigetti, D-Wave and Infleqtion as quantum specialists, they alone represent roughly 23% of the fund. WQTM is also the most volatile of the group: through September 30 it was up 23.82% for the year but down 15.20% over three months. About 62% of assets are in US companies and 14% in Japan.
3. CHPX — A Semiconductor Fund With a Quantum Sleeve
CHPX is passively managed and holds companies that earn at least half their revenue from AI semiconductors, compute systems, data-center infrastructure or quantum computing. In practice it is mostly chips: semiconductors were about 80% of the fund at the end of September, and the top three holdings Micron (12.33%), Taiwan Semiconductor (10.74%) and Nvidia (10.39%) make up about a third of assets.
It has been the strongest performer (up 100.65% since its September 2025 launch through September 30), but also the most volatile: its beta versus the S&P 500 was 2.53, and its price fell about 4% on October 14. If you want pure quantum exposure, CHPX is the wrong tool; if you want AI-chip exposure with a quantum tilt, it fits.
4. QANT — The Europe-Listed Option
QANT is BlackRock's iShares Quantum Computing UCITS ETF, tracking the STOXX Global Quantum Computing Index with 30 holdings and a 0.50% total expense ratio. It trades on exchanges including London, Amsterdam, Xetra and SIX. About two-thirds of the portfolio is information technology and one-fifth is communication services.
The key detail for many readers: BlackRock states the fund's marketing material is not aimed at residents of the United States or Canada. If you live in those countries, check your broker and local rules before assuming you can buy it. QANT also launched in December 2025, so it has less than a year of performance history.
5. XQBT — New, Concentrated and Tiny
Amplify's XQBT launched August 19, 2026. It is actively managed with Samsung Asset Management as sub-adviser, holds just 10 companies, and charges 0.49%. It references a Bloomberg momentum-based quantum index but doesn't track it.
Its industry mix is semiconductors (23%), electronic equipment (22%), tech hardware (17.5%), interactive media (11.6%), broadline retail (11.2%) and software (10%), which suggests a basket of large technology names rather than only quantum startups.
With roughly $1.5 million in assets, it carries added liquidity and closure risk, and it was down 3.01% at NAV from launch through September 30.
Also worth knowing: ETF.com also highlights Defiance's QTUP, an actively managed pure-play fund launched in June 2026 that holds roughly three to ten companies earning at least half their revenue from quantum, with about $20 million in assets and a 0.77% fee. That detail comes from ETF.com, not the issuer.
So Which Is the Best Quantum ETF?
There's no single winner — the best fit depends on what you want:
Broadest, most established: QTUM
Closest to pure-play among the larger funds: WQTM (or QTUP, if you accept higher fees and a tiny fund)
AI-chip exposure with some quantum: CHPX
Europe-listed, index-based: QANT, if available where you live
Concentrated active bet, new and small: XQBT
None of these is a core holding. Treat any of them as a small, speculative slice of a portfolio, and this is not financial advice.
Are There Pure-Play Quantum ETFs?
Barely. Only a handful of listed companies are purely quantum, so most funds blend them with larger technology firms. WQTM holds the most visible quantum names among the big funds, and QTUP aims to hold only pure-plays but is small and new. Even then, "pure" is a matter of degree: always check the top ten holdings rather than relying on a fund's name.
How to Invest in Quantum Computing
Decide how much quantum risk you want. Broad funds dilute it; concentrated funds amplify it.
Open the holdings. Compare the top ten, the number of holdings and the largest sector weights.
Check size and trading costs. Very small funds can have wider spreads and may close.
Buy through a brokerage account that offers the fund in your country.
Keep position sizes small, since the theme is early-stage and volatile.
If you're a crypto investor, quantum computing matters beyond ETFs: it is also a long-term question for blockchain security, and some projects are positioning around it. Bitrue's explainer on QMS Network covers one post-quantum Layer 1 effort.
And if you want to follow broader markets alongside crypto, you can create a Bitrue account and explore its tokenized stock lineup availability depending on your jurisdiction, and these are not quantum ETFs.
Risks to Weigh
Early-stage technology. At-scale commercial quantum computing may still be years away, and many pure-play companies are unprofitable.
High volatility. WQTM swung from a 23.8% year-to-date gain to a 15.2% three-month loss within weeks; CHPX's beta was 2.53.
Concentration. CHPX's top three holdings are about a third of assets, and WQTM's top ten are about 45%.
Small or new funds. XQBT and QTUP are tiny and new, with limited track records.
Access limits. QANT may not be available to residents of some countries.
FAQ
What is the best quantum ETF for 2026?
It depends on your goal. QTUM is the largest and most diversified, WQTM holds more quantum specialists, CHPX is mainly AI semiconductors, QANT is Europe-listed, and XQBT is a new, small, concentrated fund. All are speculative.
Are there pure-play quantum ETFs?
Almost none. Most blend a few quantum companies with chipmakers and large tech firms. WQTM holds more quantum specialists than the larger alternatives, and QTUP is designed to hold only pure-plays but is small and new.
What is the difference between QTUM and WQTM?
QTUM holds about 86 stocks across quantum, AI and computing and is much larger. WQTM has a more focused index with higher weights in quantum specialists such as IonQ, Quantinuum and Rigetti, but is smaller and more volatile.
Can US investors buy QANT?
Not necessarily. BlackRock says the fund's materials are not aimed at residents of the United States or Canada, and it trades on European exchanges. Check your broker and local rules.
Are quantum ETFs risky?
Yes. The technology is early, many holdings are unprofitable, and prices can swing sharply. They are generally treated as a small, speculative part of a portfolio rather than a core holding.
Disclaimer: The views expressed belong exclusively to the author and do not reflect the views of this platform. This platform and its affiliates disclaim any responsibility for the accuracy or suitability of the information provided. It is for informational purposes only and not intended as financial or investment advice.
Disclaimer: The content of this article does not constitute financial or investment advice.
