The United States remains a global leader in quantum information science, engineering, and technology (QISET), but its position is threatened by China’s significantly higher government investment and strategic focus on quantum networking, according to a new report from the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a nonprofit and nonpartisan initiative focused on strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness in artificial intelligence.
The SCSP’s Quantum Tech Scorecard reveals that China has committed more than double the government funding to QISET over the past seven years compared to the United States—approximately $15 billion versus $6 billion. This funding disparity is reflected in the two countries’ divergent strengths: China leads in quantum networking, while the U.S. maintains an edge in quantum computing.
Quantum networking, which uses quantum states to enable more secure communications and enhance network resilience, has been a long-term strategic priority for China. The Chinese government has deployed networking infrastructure at scale by mobilizing government resources, setting national standards, and executing sustained long-term plans. In contrast, the U.S. approach is decentralized and market-driven, leaving it vulnerable to inconsistent funding from annual budget cycles.
In quantum computing, however, the United States still leads, supported by private companies, universities, and capital markets. American platforms dominate global quantum developer workflows. For instance, data from December 2025 shows more than 450,000 downloads of IBM’s Qiskit compared to approximately 4,000 for China’s comparable software development kit. Additionally, between 39 and 73 quantum computers have been deployed by U.S. entities, versus an estimated 15 to 18 in China, according to SCSP experts.
The U.S. has recently made a $2 billion investment targeting the transition from laboratory results to deployed, operational systems—a key area of competition. However, the National Quantum Initiative Act, the federal government’s primary framework for coordinating quantum activities, is set to expire in 2029, with several key provisions already expired in 2023. Meanwhile, China’s financial commitments are rooted in long-term plans.
Congress is currently considering legislation to reauthorize and revise the initiative. The Act would help boost American competitiveness by modernizing federal quantum research programs, coordinating across federal agencies—including adding NASA as a formal quantum research partner—supporting workforce development, and expanding cooperation with allies.
According to SCSP’s experts, “the final outcome of this competition will be determined not by which country produces the most impressive research results, but by which can produce operational quantum systems at scale, and sustain the will to do so over a decade-long horizon.” For more information, visit scsp.ai and the scorecard at scorecared.scsp.ai.
