Rigetti Computing has adjusted the commercial rollout timeline for its upcoming 108-qubit quantum system as the company prioritizes performance optimization over speed to market. The full-stack quantum computing firm listed on Nasdaq now expects its Cepheus-1-108Q system to reach general availability toward the end of the first quarter of 2026, revising earlier expectations.
The update reflects the technical realities of scaling modular quantum systems to higher qubit counts while maintaining performance thresholds required for practical applications. According to Rigetti, development progress remains solid, but additional validation and refinement are needed to meet its internal fidelity targets. The company is aiming for a median two-qubit gate fidelity of 99.5% on the 108-qubit platform, a benchmark it views as critical for customer workloads and long-term system reliability.
Rigetti’s leadership emphasized that recent testing surfaced complexities related to tunable couplers, a key component in the system’s architecture that enables controlled interactions between qubits. Addressing these challenges has prompted the decision to run an additional chip iteration, allowing engineers to further optimize performance before broader deployment. While this adds time to the roadmap, the company frames the move as necessary to ensure the system meets enterprise and research expectations.
Despite the timeline shift, Rigetti reports continued performance improvements across its portfolio. The company has achieved a median two-qubit gate fidelity of 99% on the 108-qubit system to date, while its smaller platforms demonstrate higher figures, including 99.7% on a 9-qubit system and 99.6% on a 36-qubit system. These results highlight the firm’s ongoing efforts to mature its hardware stack as it scales.
Rigetti’s Largest Quantum Processor
Cepheus-1-108Q is built using twelve 9-qubit chiplets and leverages Rigetti’s proprietary modular architecture, which is designed to support scalable quantum computing by interconnecting smaller, well-characterized components. Once available, the system will represent Rigetti’s largest quantum processor to date and is positioned as the industry’s largest modular quantum computing system.
The revised timeline underscores a broader trend within the quantum sector, where vendors increasingly balance ambitious scaling goals with the need for consistent, high-fidelity operations. For enterprise users and research partners, performance stability remains a decisive factor as quantum computing transitions from experimental environments toward more production-oriented use cases.
Executive Insights FAQ
Why did Rigetti delay general availability of the 108-qubit system?
To allow additional testing and optimization to meet internal fidelity standards.
What performance target is Rigetti aiming for on Cepheus-1-108Q?
A median two-qubit gate fidelity of 99.5%.
What technical challenge influenced the revised timeline?
Complexities related to tunable couplers in the system architecture.
How does the 108-qubit system compare to Rigetti’s smaller platforms?
Smaller systems currently show higher median two-qubit gate fidelities.
Why is modular architecture important for quantum scaling?
It enables larger systems by interconnecting smaller, validated chiplets.
More about Rigetti
Rigetti is a quantum computing company that designs and manufactures superconducting quantum processors and delivers full-stack quantum computing systems via the cloud. The company focuses on scalable quantum hardware, hybrid quantum-classical architectures, and partnerships that accelerate the practical adoption of quantum computing for research, government, and enterprise use.
