A new report from the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) warns that the United States may fall behind China in quantum information science, engineering, and technology (QISET) without additional government investment. The report, based on SCSP's Quantum Tech Scorecard, reveals that China has committed approximately $15 billion in government funding to QISET over the past seven years, compared to $6 billion from the U.S.
The two nations exhibit diverging strengths: China's primary advantage lies in quantum networking, which leverages quantum states for more secure communications and enhanced network resilience. According to the Scorecard, China has made quantum networking a long-term strategic priority, deploying infrastructure at scale through government resources, national standards, and sustained plans. In contrast, the U.S. approach is decentralized and market-driven, leaving it vulnerable to inconsistent funding from annual budget cycles.
However, the United States still leads in quantum computing, supported by private companies, universities, and capital markets. American platforms dominate global quantum developer workflows; for instance, data from December 2025 shows over 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.
Looking ahead, the U.S. has made a $2 billion investment targeting the transition from laboratory results to deployed operational systems. Yet, 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 considering legislation to reauthorize and revise the initiative, which would modernize federal quantum research programs, coordinate across agencies including NASA as a formal partner, support workforce development, and expand cooperation with allies. The new investment signals a commitment to retaining global leadership, but as SCSP experts note, "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."
To learn more about SCSP's research, visit scsp.ai. For a detailed comparison of U.S. and China quantum capabilities, see the Scorecard at scorecared.scsp.ai.
