HSBC and IBM Tout First-Ever Discovery in Quantum Computing

HSBC said it made a breakthrough in using quantum computing in the finance world.

The banking giant said its work with a team from IBM uncovered “the world’s first-known empirical evidence of the potential value of current quantum computers for solving real-world problems in algorithmic bond trading,” according to a Thursday (Sept. 25) press release .

“This is a ground-breaking world-first in bond trading,” HSBC Head of Quantum Technologies Philip Intallura said in the release. “It means we now have a tangible example of how today’s quantum computers could solve a real-world business problem at scale and offer a competitive edge, which will only continue to grow as quantum computers advance. We have been relentlessly focused on the near-term application of quantum technology, and given the trial delivered positive results on current quantum computing hardware, we have great confidence we are on the cusp of a new frontier of computing in financial services, rather than something that is far away in the future.”

In a Wednesday (Sept. 24) Bloomberg report , Intallura called the achievement a “Sputnik moment” for quantum computing, in reference to the Soviet satellite launch that kicked off the space race.

Quantum computing is a branch of computation that employs “the laws of quantum mechanics to represent and process information in a space that is exponentially more expansive and dynamic than what classical systems can access,” according to the release. That means quantum computers can solve problems beyond the reach of even the most powerful classical supercomputers functioning independently.

HSBC and IBM used quantum and classical computing to deliver up to a 34% improvement in predicting how likely a trade would be filled at a quoted price, versus common classical techniques used in the industry, per the release.

“The results show the value quantum computers could offer when integrated into the dynamic problems facing the financial services industry, and how they could potentially offer superior solutions over standard methods which use classical computers alone,” the release said.

Meanwhile, PYMNTS reported in July that there are three developments in the quantum computing field that have prodded the financial world to go beyond research and into operational pilots.

“First, quantum hardware is improving, with firms like IBM delivering machines with 50+ physical qubits and early versions of error mitigation,” the report said. “Second, cloud access to quantum systems has lowered entry barriers. Finally, quantum software frameworks are enabling institutions to prototype applications without full in-house quantum stacks.”