Fintech firms are betting big on crypto in 2026. Having muscled into digital assets like never before in 2025, tech companies operating at the intersection of crypto and old-school finance now plan to strengthen their hold on the $3 trillion market. “2026 is going to be massive,” Leonid Bashlykov, crypto head of product at Revolut, said on LinkedIn when talking about the neobank’s plans. From hiring to launching bespoke blockchains, here’s how five of the most influential fintech firms are seizing the ...

Core Insights - D-Wave Quantum Inc. (QBTS) and IonQ (IONQ) are positioned uniquely in the quantum computing sector as 2026 approaches, with distinct investment narratives emerging from their respective performances and strategies [1][3]. D-Wave Quantum Inc. (QBTS) - D-Wave has demonstrated strong commercial momentum, with third-quarter results showing revenue and gross profit more than doubling year over year, and cash balances reaching over $836 million [1][7]. - The Advantage2 system is operational for enterprise and government users, with significant contracts, including a €10 million installation in Europe expected to contribute to revenues starting in 2026 [5]. - Management emphasizes a strong pipeline with larger average deal sizes and over $100 million in annual QCaaS revenue capacity, positioning 2026 as a monetization year rather than purely focused on R&D [6]. - Despite the positive outlook, QBTS faces execution risks due to revenue concentration from specific system sales, which may lead to uneven bookings and revenue timing [10]. - Analysts project a revenue growth of 61.1% for QBTS in 2026, with an expected earnings growth of 7% [9][14]. IonQ (IONQ) - IonQ has reported gains through strategic partnerships and deployments, including the delivery of its 100-qubit Tempo system to South Korea's KISTI, enhancing its global market penetration [2]. - The Tempo system, achieving AQ 64 and 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, is expected to drive revenue growth as it demonstrates measurable quantum advantage in various applications [11]. - IonQ's transformation into a full quantum platform company, including acquisitions and government engagement, expands its addressable market and supports sustained growth despite ongoing operating losses [12]. - IonQ is projected to achieve revenue growth of 83.3% in 2026, with an expected earnings growth of 65.8% [9][14]. Comparative Performance - Year-to-date, QBTS stock has surged 227.6%, significantly outperforming IONQ's 19.2% gain, reflecting divergent investor sentiment due to differences in near-term commercial execution [3]. - Both companies currently hold a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold), but IonQ is viewed as having stronger long-term upside potential due to its technical advancements and substantial cash reserves [17].

With this in mind, which companies have demonstrated steady quantum computing progress? 1. Honeywell International Inc. Although not typically perceived as a quantum computing company, Honeywell has two major advantages. First, as long as the dollar maintains its global reserve currency status, Honeywell will continue to serve the military industrial complex with its aerospace systems, alongside land, naval, satellite and autonomous systems. Honeywell's Aerospace Technologies (AT) division represented aroun ...

Welcome to The Protocol, CoinDesk's weekly wrap of the most important stories in cryptocurrency tech development. I’m Margaux Nijkerk, a reporter at CoinDesk. In this issue: Stripe-Backed Blockchain Tempo Starts Testnet; Kalshi, Mastercard, UBS Added as Partners ZKsync Lite to Shut Down in 2026 as Matter Labs Moves On Blockstream Connects Lightning and Liquid for Faster, Private Bitcoin Payments Axelar Unveils AgentFlux to Bring AI Agents Onchain, Without Cloud Risks Unknown block type "divide ...

LATEST: ⚡ Payments processor Stripe and crypto venture firm Paradigm have launched the testnet for Tempo, a new L1 blockchain focused on stablecoins, allowing anyone to test and build on the network. https://t.co/juIzSC6Ico ...

Blockchain Technology - Tempo, backed by Stripe and Paradigm, launched its testnet, a payments-first blockchain [1] - The blockchain is designed for instant settlement with predictable fees [1]

Core Insights - Tempo, a blockchain focused on stablecoins and payments, has launched its public testnet, allowing developers to build on the network [1] - The network is compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine and has received design input from major global firms including OpenAI, Shopify, and Visa [2] - Tempo has announced new partnerships with Mastercard, UBS, and Klarna, which plans to launch a stablecoin on the Tempo network [2] Group 1: Testnet Launch and Features - The Tempo testnet is now open for public use, enabling various stakeholders to engage with the platform [3] - Key features include dedicated payment lanes for guaranteed blockspace and low fees, as well as stablecoin-native gas for transactions [4] - The network supports use cases such as microtransactions, global payments, remittances, agentic commerce, and tokenized deposits [5] Group 2: Partnerships and Development - Coastal Bank is collaborating with Tempo to innovate financial infrastructure [4] - The network is currently operated by a rotating set of four validators, with plans to incorporate independent validators and partners as it approaches mainnet launch [6] - Tempo raised $500 million at a $5 billion valuation to advance its blockchain development, and has added a top Ethereum researcher to its team [7] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Circle, the issuer of USDC, is also developing a payments-focused blockchain called Arc, which has launched its testnet with participation from firms like Visa and Goldman Sachs [7]

Stripe and Paradigm's payments-focused blockchain Tempo launches public testnet https://t.co/8eeMidDO4d ...

Tempo, a payments-focused blockchain backed by Stripe and crypto investment firm Paradigm, has launched its public testnet, a key step in its effort in making stablecoin payments for mainstream use. Tempo has also unveiled a roster of new additions to the network’s partner group, including buy-now-pay-later firm Klarna, predictions market Kalshi, payments giant Mastercard and Swiss global bank UBS. They join a group of earlier design partners such as Deutsche Bank, Visa, Shopify, OpenAI and Nubank. Initi ...

Stripe and crypto venture firm Paradigm have launched a public trial for their joint blockchain project, Tempo, opening the network to any company interested in building real-world stablecoin payments applications https://t.co/EfYEqKvEYc ...