Microsoft (MSFT) exec Mitra Azizirad wrote in a blog post on Tuesday, Jan. 14 that “We are at the advent of the reliable quantum computing era. And we are right on the cusp of seeing quantum computers solve meaningful problems and capture new business value.

Microsoft's remarks helped drive shares of Rigetti Computing more than 16% higher in premarket trading Wewdnesday, while D-Wave quantum surged 26%. IonQ added nearly 10%, while the Defiance Quantum and AI ETF added nearly 3%. The rally was also fueled by Nvidia on Tuesday announcing a "Quantum Day" at its GTC Conference in March.