D-Wave Quantum agreed on 7 January to acquire Quantum Circuits, a developer of error-corrected superconducting gate-model quantum computers, for $550m in stock and cash.
Why D-Wave Quantum Inc. is buying Quantum Circuits, Inc.
D-Wave said combining its control systems for superconducting processors and its quantum cloud platform with Quantum Circuits' dual-rail qubits, which detect errors in hardware and need fewer physical qubits per logical qubit, would accelerate its route to scaled, error-corrected gate-model machines. It plans an initial dual-rail system in 2026 and a research centre in New Haven, Connecticut, alongside its commercial annealing computers.
“Fault-tolerant error-corrected quantum computing is within our reach, and this acquisition is expected to significantly speed up the timeline”
Deal terms and financing
The $550m price comprised $300m in D-Wave common stock and $250m in cash.
Regulatory approvals and timing
Closing was conditional on expiry of the Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period and NYSE approval to list the new shares. D-Wave announced on 20 January 2026 that it had completed the acquisition.
Market context
Quantum Circuits' chief scientist and co-founder Rob Schoelkopf, a Yale professor, invented the transmon and dual-rail qubit technologies. The deal came as quantum computing companies used strong share prices to consolidate; IonQ agreed later in January to buy chip foundry SkyWater Technology.
