U.S. Commerce announces $2 billion stakes in 9 quantum computing companies
Key Facts
The U.S. Department of Commerce said on May 21, 2026, that it would take stakes worth a total of $2 billion in 9 quantum computing companies, Reuters reported. The move puts the federal government in the position of a direct shareholder in companies operating in a technology sector, by converting public funding into ownership. The department said it would take stakes in the nine companies, without the information published here detailing how the amount would be allocated among them. The move is part of a broader U.S. administration effort to use equity stakes to support domestic supply chains for critical minerals and semiconductors. Reuters said the effort also aims to reduce reliance on China.
In August 2025, the Trump administration agreed to buy a 9.9% stake in Intel for $8.9 billion, using federal support previously granted to the company, according to Reuters. Reuters reported that the purchase price was $20.47 per share. The deal set a prominent precedent for converting government support into a stake in a private company, a mechanism now appearing again in the investment announcement for quantum computing companies. On August 25, 2025, Trump said he hoped to strike more similar deals, adding: "I hope to have many more cases like this." Reuters later reported in May 2026 that the Commerce Department would take stakes in companies in the quantum sector.
U.S. Department of Commerce data showed that Intel investments recorded unrealized gains of $3.53 billion in fiscal 2025, through September 30, 2025. In an announcement published in 2026 on the first year's achievements, the department said grants worth $8.9 billion had been converted into a 9.9% stake in Intel. The department estimated the net increase in the stake's value at more than $10 billion, describing it as a doubling in value since the deal was struck. The two figures reflect valuations cited in two department statements, one in the fiscal 2025 financial report and the other in the achievements announcement published in 2026. This does not change the fact that the original Intel investment was made by converting previously granted federal support into common shares.
The Intel deal announcement coincided with a rise in the company's stock, which closed up 5.5% on August 22, 2025, following Trump's announcement of the government stake, according to data cited by Investing.com. The information available on the May 2026 announcement, however, does not include share-price movements for the nine companies after the announcement. Trump said in August 2025 that he hoped to repeat deals of this kind, before the Commerce Department announced investments in quantum computing companies in May 2026. The framework described by Reuters extends to critical minerals and semiconductors, with the stated aim of strengthening U.S. supply chains and reducing reliance on China. The announcement of stakes in the nine companies is the latest specific step under this effort.