D-Wave Quantum Inc. (QBTS) Expected Move

Expected move estimates the probable price range for a given period based on at-the-money options pricing. It reflects the market consensus for volatility over the selected timeframe.

D-Wave Quantum Inc. (QBTS) operates in the Technology sector, specifically the Computer Hardware industry, with a market capitalization near $7.87B, listed on NYSE, employing roughly 216 people, carrying a beta of 1.94 to the broader market. D-Wave Quantum Inc. Led by Alan E. Baratz, public since 2020-12-11.

Snapshot as of May 15, 2026.

Spot Price
$20.45
Expected Move
27.5%
Implied High
$26.07
Implied Low
$14.83
Front DTE
28 days

As of May 15, 2026, D-Wave Quantum Inc. (QBTS) has an expected move of 27.48%, a one-standard-deviation implied price range of roughly $14.83 to $26.07 from the current $20.45. Expected move is derived from at-the-money straddle pricing and represents the market's pricing of a ±1σ move. Roughly 68% of outcomes should fall within this range under lognormal assumptions, though empirical markets have fatter tails.

QBTS Strategy Sizing to the Expected Move

With D-Wave Quantum Inc. pricing an expected move of 27.48% from $20.45, risk-defined strategies sized to the implied range structurally target the modal outcome distribution. Iron condors with wings at the ±1σ expected move boundaries collect premium against the ~68% probability that spot stays inside the range under lognormal assumptions; strangles set wider at ±1.5σ or ±2σ target the tails but pay smaller per-trade premium. Long-vol structures (long straddles, ratio backspreads) profit when realized move exceeds the implied move, the inverse trade: they bet against the lognormal assumption itself, capitalizing on the empirically fatter equity-return tails.

Learn how expected move is reported and how to read the data →

Per-expiration expected move for QBTS derived from ATM implied volatility at each listed expiration. Implied high/low bounds are computed as $20.45 × (1 ± expected move %). One standard-deviation range under lognormal assumptions, roughly 68% of outcomes fall inside.

ExpirationDTEATM IVExpected MoveImplied HighImplied Low
May 22, 2026792.4%12.8%$23.07$17.83
May 29, 20261489.3%17.5%$24.03$16.87
Jun 5, 20262195.9%23.0%$25.15$15.75
Jun 12, 20262896.7%26.8%$25.93$14.97
Jun 18, 20263494.4%28.8%$26.34$14.56
Jun 26, 20264294.4%32.0%$27.00$13.90
Jul 17, 20266394.2%39.1%$28.45$12.45
Sep 18, 202612695.9%56.3%$31.97$8.93
Oct 16, 202615496.5%62.7%$33.27$7.63
Nov 20, 202618998.6%71.0%$34.96$5.94
Jan 15, 202724596.5%79.1%$36.62$4.28
Mar 19, 2027308100.8%92.6%$39.39$1.51
Jan 21, 202861696.8%125.8%$46.17$-5.27

Frequently asked QBTS expected move questions

What is the current QBTS expected move?
As of May 15, 2026, D-Wave Quantum Inc. (QBTS) has an expected move of 27.48% over the next 28 days, implying a one-standard-deviation price range of $14.83 to $26.07 from the current $20.45. The expected move is derived from at-the-money straddle pricing and represents the market consensus for a ±1σ price move.
What does the QBTS expected move mean for traders?
Roughly 68% of outcomes should fall within ±1 expected move and 95% within ±2 under lognormal assumptions, though equity returns have empirically fatter tails than log-normal predicts. Strategies sized to the expected move (iron condors at ±1σ, strangles at ±1.5σ) target the typical outcome distribution; strategies that profit from tail moves (long-vol structures, ratio backspreads) target the tails the lognormal model under-prices.
How is QBTS expected move calculated?
The expected move displayed here is derived from at-the-money implied volatility scaled to the chosen tenor: expected move % is approximately ATM IV times sqrt(T / 365), where T is days to expiration. An equivalent straddle-based form: the ATM straddle (call + put at the same strike) is roughly sqrt(2/pi) times spot times IV times sqrt(T/365), so the implied one-standard-deviation move is approximately 1.25 times ATM straddle divided by spot. The two formulations agree once the sqrt(2/pi) constant is reconciled.