Quantinuum Unveils Helios: A 98-Qubit Quantum System Redefining Computational Power

Scientists at Quantinuum have officially unveiled Helios, a groundbreaking 98-qubit quantum computer, which they assert is the most powerful and accurate quantum system currently available globally. This significant technological leap was announced by the company around November 5, 2025, marking a pivotal moment in the advancement of quantum computing, as reported by Live Science.

Helios is designed to surpass all existing quantum systems, offering unprecedented capabilities that are expected to accelerate the commercial adoption of quantum technology. Quantinuum CEO Dr. Rajeeb Hazra stated that Helios represents "a seamless fusion of hardware and software, creating a platform for discovery unlike any other," according to a company blog post.

The new system has already yielded tangible scientific benefits, providing novel insights into the complex realm of superconducting physics. Researchers utilized Helios to model a high-temperature superconducting metal, leading to the discovery of previously unknown electron behavior, Live Science reported on November 6, 2025.

This breakthrough is attributed to Helios's advanced architecture, featuring 98 physical qubits made of barium ions arranged in a unique "junction ion trap" formation. This design significantly enhances error detection and correction, enabling superior performance in complex calculations, as detailed by Quantinuum.

Quantinuum emphasizes Helios's industry-leading fidelity, with a single-qubit gate fidelity of 99.9975% and a two-qubit gate fidelity of 99.921% across all qubit pairs. These metrics establish Helios as the most accurate commercial quantum computer on the market, according to a Quantinuum press release from November 5, 2025.

The system's performance has been rigorously benchmarked, notably outperforming previous records in Random Circuit Sampling (RCS), a benchmark Google famously used to demonstrate quantum supremacy. David Hayes, director of computational design and theory at Quantinuum, confidently declared Helios as "easily the most powerful quantum computer on Earth," as quoted by Live Science.

Early access programs saw partners like SoftBank Corp. and JPMorgan Chase conducting commercially relevant research, demonstrating Helios's enterprise-grade capabilities. These collaborations focused on areas such as quantum magnetism and high-temperature superconductivity, highlighting the system's immediate practical applications, quantinuum announced on November 5, 2025.

• Background and Historical Context: The development of Helios by Quantinuum builds upon a rapidly evolving landscape in quantum computing, where companies like Google, IBM, and Microsoft are in a fierce race to achieve practical quantum advantage. While Google's Willow chip and Microsoft's Majorana 1 have made headlines in 2025 for their advancements in error correction and topological qubits, Quantinuum's Helios distinguishes itself with its focus on accuracy and logical qubit performance, as noted by Forbes in March 2025.

• Key Technical Innovations: Helios features 98 physical qubits, which are then configured into 50 error-detected logical qubits, and 48 fully error-corrected logical qubits at an efficient 2:1 encoding rate. This is achieved through a unique "junction ion trap" architecture utilizing barium ions, which are manipulated by visible spectrum lasers for improved reliability and scalability, according to quantinuum's technical specifications.

• Implications for Scientific Research: The immediate impact of Helios is evident in its application to superconducting physics, where it has already provided new insights into electron behavior in high-temperature superconducting metals. This capability is crucial for understanding and potentially engineering room-temperature superconductors, a long-standing goal in condensed matter physics, as highlighted by AITopics on November 5, 2025.

• Commercial and Enterprise Adoption: Quantinuum is positioning Helios for broad enterprise adoption, with early collaborators including Amgen, BMW Group, JPMorgan Chase, and SoftBank Corp. These partnerships aim to explore applications in computational biology, financial modeling, and advanced materials science, demonstrating the system's potential to transform various industries, quantinuum reported on November 5, 2025.

• Software and Ecosystem Development: To facilitate easier programming and broader access, Helios integrates a real-time control engine and a new Python-based programming language called Guppy. This allows developers to seamlessly combine hybrid quantum and classical computing within a single program, fostering a more accessible environment for quantum application development, TechIntelPro explained on November 7, 2025.

• Benchmarking and Performance Metrics: Helios has set new benchmarks in quantum computing performance, particularly in Random Circuit Sampling (RCS). Quantinuum's data indicates that Helios can solve problems that would require immense classical computational power, equivalent to the energy output of all visible stars, showcasing its significant computational advantage, according to a Quantinuum blog post.

• Future Developments and Global Reach: Quantinuum has announced a strategic partnership with Singapore's National Quantum Office (NQO) and National Quantum Computing Hub (NQCH). This collaboration will see a Helios system installed in Singapore by 2026, alongside the establishment of a local R&D and Operations Centre, expanding the global footprint and accessibility of this advanced quantum technology, as reported by Quantum Computing Report on November 5, 2025.