Quantum Annealing

End-to-End Portfolio Optimization with Quantum Annealing ArXiv ID: 2504.08843 “View on arXiv” Authors: Unknown Abstract Hybrid-quantum classical optimization has emerged as a promising direction for addressing financial decision problems under current quantum hardware constraints. In this work we present a practical end-to-end portfolio optimization pipeline that combines (i) a continuous mean-variance and Sharpe-ratio formulation, (ii) a QUBO/CQM-based discrete asset selection stage solved using D-Wave’s hybrid quantum annealing solver, (iii) classical convex optimization for computing optimal asset weights, and (iv) a quarterly rebalancing mechanism. Rather than claiming quantum advantage, our goal is to evaluate the feasibility and integration of these components within a deployable financial workflow. We empirically compare our hybrid pipeline against a fund manager in real time and indexes used in Indian stock market. The results indicate that the proposed framework can construct diversified portfolios and achieve competitive returns. We also report computational considerations and scalability observations drawn from the hybrid solver behaviour. While the experiments are limited to moderate sized portfolios dictated by current annealing hardware and QUBO embedding constraints, the study illustrates how quantum assisted selection and classical allocation can be combined coherently in a real-world setting. This work emphasizes methodological reproducibility and practical applicability, and aims to serve as a step toward larger-scale financial optimization workflows as quantum annealers continue to mature. ...

Currency Arbitrage Optimization using Quantum Annealing, QAOA and Constraint Mapping ArXiv ID: 2502.15742 “View on arXiv” Authors: Unknown Abstract Currency arbitrage capitalizes on price discrepancies in currency exchange rates between markets to produce profits with minimal risk. By employing a combinatorial optimization problem, one can ascertain optimal paths within directed graphs, thereby facilitating the efficient identification of profitable trading routes. This research investigates the methodologies of quantum annealing and gate-based quantum computing in relation to the currency arbitrage problem. In this study, we implement the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) utilizing Qiskit version 1.2. In order to optimize the parameters of QAOA, we perform simulations utilizing the AerSimulator and carry out experiments in simulation. Furthermore, we present an NchooseK-based methodology utilizing D-Wave’s Ocean suite. This methodology enables a comparison of the effectiveness of quantum techniques in identifying optimal arbitrage paths. The results of our study enhance the existing literature on the application of quantum computing in financial optimization challenges, emphasizing both the prospective benefits and the present limitations of these developing technologies in real-world scenarios. ...

Quantum computing approach to realistic ESG-friendly stock portfolios ArXiv ID: 2404.02582 “View on arXiv” Authors: Unknown Abstract Finding an optimal balance between risk and returns in investment portfolios is a central challenge in quantitative finance, often addressed through Markowitz portfolio theory (MPT). While traditional portfolio optimization is carried out in a continuous fashion, as if stocks could be bought in fractional increments, practical implementations often resort to approximations, as fractional stocks are typically not tradeable. While these approximations are effective for large investment budgets, they deteriorate as budgets decrease. To alleviate this issue, a discrete Markowitz portfolio theory (DMPT) with finite budgets and integer stock weights can be formulated, but results in a non-polynomial (NP)-hard problem. Recent progress in quantum processing units (QPUs), including quantum annealers, makes solving DMPT problems feasible. Our study explores portfolio optimization on quantum annealers, establishing a mapping between continuous and discrete Markowitz portfolio theories. We find that correctly normalized discrete portfolios converge to continuous solutions as budgets increase. Our DMPT implementation provides efficient frontier solutions, outperforming traditional rounding methods, even for moderate budgets. Responding to the demand for environmentally and socially responsible investments, we enhance our discrete portfolio optimization with ESG (environmental, social, governance) ratings for EURO STOXX 50 index stocks. We introduce a utility function incorporating ESG ratings to balance risk, return, and ESG-friendliness, and discuss implications for ESG-aware investors. ...

The Potential of Quantum Techniques for Stock Price Prediction ArXiv ID: 2308.13642 “View on arXiv” Authors: Unknown Abstract We explored the potential applications of various Quantum Algorithms for stock price prediction by conducting a series of experimental simulations using both Classical as well as Quantum Hardware. Firstly, we extracted various stock price indicators, such as Moving Averages (MA), Average True Range (ATR), and Aroon, to gain insights into market trends and stock price movements. Next, we employed Quantum Annealing (QA) for feature selection and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for dimensionality reduction. Further, we transformed the stock price prediction task essentially into a classification problem. We trained the Quantum Support Vector Machine (QSVM) to predict price movements (whether up or down) contrasted their performance with classical models and analyzed their accuracy on a dataset formulated using Quantum Annealing and PCA individually. We focused on the stock price prediction and binary classification of stock prices for four different companies, namely Apple, Visa, Johnson and Jonson, and Honeywell. We primarily used the real-time stock data of the raw stock prices of these companies. We compared various Quantum Computing techniques with their classical counterparts in terms of accuracy and F-score of the prediction model. Through these experimental simulations, we shed light on the potential advantages and limitations of Quantum Algorithms in stock price prediction and contribute to the growing body of knowledge at the intersection of Quantum Computing and Finance. ...