HSBC Says Quantum Trial Shows 34% Improvement

HSBC and IBM ran a hybrid workflow combining classical computing, AI models and IBM’s Heron quantum processor to optimize over-the-counter corporate bond trading and Request‑for‑Quote workflows. The trial reported up to a 34% improvement in predicting whether a trade would be filled (or a similar reduction in pricing errors) versus classical-only methods, and validated results across multiple datasets and IBM quantum systems. HSBC described the results as the “world’s first‑known empirical evidence” of quantum’s value in real‑world bond trading and said the work could provide a competitive edge that boosts margins and liquidity. IBM and HSBC said the quantum‑augmented workflow helped reveal hidden pricing signals in noisy market data. Analysts and experts cautioned the work remains an early research‑to‑development milestone with open questions about repeatability, scalability, cryogenic and infrastructure costs, and commercial timelines. The announcement briefly boosted IBM shares and also rekindled debate about timelines for when quantum computers might pose risks to current cryptography.