New York, May 22, 2026, 12:04 EDT
Tech stocks AST SpaceMobile and Quantum Computing Inc. were sharply higher Friday, each catching more speculative flows. AST SpaceMobile jumped about 11% by late morning, while Quantum Computing Inc. gained close to 16%. Both stirred up bets in satellite-to-phone and quantum computing hardware.
Timing is playing a role. Space stocks got a lift with buzz building about a potential SpaceX IPO. Defiance rolled out a leveraged ETF, aiming for 2x the daily move in AST SpaceMobile shares. Quantum stocks went higher too, boosted by headlines about fresh public funding in the U.S. and Europe.
Friday’s rally wasn’t just about earnings. Traders are betting on what might be next. The two companies are still priced mostly on their networks, their products, and hoped-for demand from government contracts, none of which have proved out at scale yet.
AST SpaceMobile is working on a direct-to-device network, letting satellites link to standard mobile phones with no special gear. The company said this month it has close to 60 mobile network operator partners that together cover more than 3 billion subscribers. Chief Executive Abel Avellan said AST plans to launch BlueBird 8, 9 and 10 into low Earth orbit in mid-June.
The stock stayed strong after a big spending quarter. AST said first-quarter revenue was $14.7 million, with a net loss to common shareholders of $191 million, or 66 cents a share. The company finished the quarter with about $3.46 billion in cash, equivalents, and restricted cash.
AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon are moving toward a joint venture, adding to the mix for carriers, but didn’t mention AST SpaceMobile in their statement. AT&T CEO John Stankey said the focus is on “make staying connected simple.” According to the release, deals the carriers already have with satellite partners would stay as they are. AT&T Newsroom
Roth Capital called the carrier move a potential win for AST SpaceMobile, saying it looked like a “Tier 1 shot across the Starlink D2D bow.” The point is about competition: SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has its Starlink satellite business. AST is betting on partnerships with carriers instead. TipRanks
Quantum Computing Inc. had shown signs of volatility before earnings. The Fly said options were pricing in a move of roughly 10.5% after results, which is much higher than the company’s median swing of 5.3% during the previous eight quarters.
Quantum Computing Inc., which works in quantum optics and photonics, said first-quarter revenue jumped to $3.7 million from $39,000 last year. CEO Yuping Huang called it “significant operational progress.” QCi posted a net loss of $4.1 million. It finished the quarter with $1.4 billion in cash, equivalents and investments. PR Newswire
Quantum stocks saw more action after fresh policy moves. French President Emmanuel Macron said France will inject another 1 billion euros into its quantum push. In the U.S., the Trump administration rolled out a $2 billion plan to buy equity in nine quantum-computing names, according to Reuters. Alice & Bob CEO Theau Peronnin called the jump in investment “massive.” Reuters
IBM is part of the current funding push, with some investors turning to big players like IBM and others looking at smaller quantum-focused stocks. For QCi, this is key. The shares move more on hopes for its photonics tech than on short-term earnings, as buyers watch which quantum names pick up orders from governments and companies increasing quantum spending.
The risk is that developments could outpace company execution. AST still needs to launch its satellites as planned, clear regulators, and turn its carrier deals into real service revenue. QCi has to bring in its acquisitions and turn its early order book into continued sales. Leveraged products like ASTY are also a factor. Defiance says this fund is for short-term trading, and investors might lose all their money in a day.
Market is putting a premium on options plays at the moment. On Friday, investors shrugged off mixed earnings and bought on hopes for rare assets—think spectrum, carrier rights, quantum hardware, and federal grants. The tougher part comes after these pop trades, when it’s about launch timetables, actual customers and real sales, not just the story.
