The possibility of adopting quantum computing in the field of financial services can bring a new breakthrough in portfolio management since the optimization of this method requires large numbers for the solution that exceed the capabilities of classical computing algorithms. This study focuses on using a hybrid quantum-classical computational method known as the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) in optimizing portfolio selection. The VQE aims at finding the best allocation of the portfolio; the best weights that correspond to minimum risk and maximum return as predicted by the modern portfolio theory. The study assesses the suitability and speed of VQE in solving matters involving portfolio management tasks such as handling vast data and nonlinear constraints which are hard to solve through other optimization methods. Thus, under the theoretical framework of quantum computing, the study seeks to address some of the following challenges: computational time and scalability in portfolio optimization. The VQE algorithm work on different portfolio configurations; their performance in comparison with classical techniques; special attention is paid to the rate of convergence and the achievement of the optimal solution. Based on the results of this work we can conclude that there is a considerable literature on quantum finance and that this field can benefit from utilization of quantum algorithms as a tool to improve decision-making in the financial market. That is why the study proves that quantum optimization techniques, to wit VQE, can provide better solutions when it comes to portfolio management within the sphere of finance.
The possibility of adopting quantum computing in the field of financial services can bring a new breakthrough in portfolio management since the optimization of this method requires large numbers for the solution that exceed the capabilities of classical computing algorithms. This study focuses on using a hybrid quantum-classical computational method known as the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) in optimizing portfolio selection. The VQE aims at finding the best allocation of the portfolio; the best weights that correspond to minimum risk and maximum return as predicted by the modern portfolio theory. The study assesses the suitability and speed of VQE in solving matters involving portfolio management tasks such as handling vast data and nonlinear constraints which are hard to solve through other optimization methods. Thus, under the theoretical framework of quantum computing, the study seeks to address some of the following challenges: computational time and scalability in portfolio optimization. The VQE algorithm work on different portfolio configurations; their performance in comparison with classical techniques; special attention is paid to the rate of convergence and the achievement of the optimal solution. Based on the results of this work we can conclude that there is a considerable literature on quantum finance and that this field can benefit from utilization of quantum algorithms as a tool to improve decision-making in the financial market. That is why the study proves that quantum optimization techniques, to wit VQE, can provide better solutions when it comes to portfolio management within the sphere of finance.
The increasing complexity of financial markets has heightened the demand for advanced computational methods capable of optimizing portfolios under multi-dimensional constraints involving risk, return, diversification, and liquidity. Traditional optimization frameworks, such as mean-variance analysis and heuristic meta-optimization, are limited by their scalability and sensitivity to non-convex, high-dimensional data structures. This study explores the application of quantum algorithms to portfolio optimization, demonstrating how Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA), Quantum Annealing, and Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE) can address computational bottlenecks inherent in classical approaches. Quantum computation offers the potential to encode complex financial systems as Hamiltonian functions, allowing parallel exploration of vast solution spaces through superposition and entanglement. This enables faster convergence toward optimal portfolio allocations while simultaneously accounting for multi-factor correlations and dynamic market conditions. The research further investigates the role of hybrid quantum–classical optimization pipelines, in which quantum solvers perform core optimization tasks while classical systems manage data preprocessing and constraint validation. Empirical modeling and simulation indicate that quantum-based approaches can outperform conventional methods in risk-adjusted return optimization, efficient frontier computation, and real-time portfolio rebalancing. By bridging the gap between quantum computing and financial engineering, this study contributes to the development of next-generation financial analytics systems, aligning with the broader goal of achieving more adaptive, transparent, and data-resilient financial decision-making.
Portfolio optimization is a fundamental problem in quantitative finance that seeks to maximize risk-adjusted returns while managing investment risk. With the advent of quantum computing, there is growing interest in applying quantum algorithms to solve complex optimization problems. This paper presents a comprehensive comparative study of quantum and classical approaches to portfolio optimization, specifically comparing the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA), Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE), and classical mean-variance optimization. We evaluate these methods on both real market data and synthetic datasets with varying correlation structures. Our experimental results show that while classical methods currently outperform quantum approaches on near-term quantum devices in terms of solution quality and computational efficiency, quantum algorithms demonstrate conceptual viability and promise for future applications as quantum hardware improves. The classical method achieves optimal Sharpe ratios of 1.2-1.8, while QAOA and VQE achieve 80-95% and 75-90% of classical performance respectively. This work provides insights into the current state and future potential of quantum computing for financial optimization.
The swift progress of quantum computing is set to revolutionize the financial sector, especially in the fields of risk management and portfolio optimization. Existing financial models, though effective in some measure, are unable to handle the huge complexities of today's markets, where high-frequency trading, nonlinear interdependencies, and complex risk factors require advanced computational capabilities. Quantum finance, a new multidisciplinary research area, uses quantum computing concepts to improve financial decision-making, investment strategy optimization, and risk reduction more effectively than traditional techniques. This chapter discusses how quantum computing is revolutionizing risk management and portfolio optimization using quantum mechanics-based algorithms like quantum annealing, quantum Monte Carlo simulations, and variational quantum eigensolvers (VQEs). These methods enable financial institutions to resolve high-dimensional optimization problems exponentially quicker, detect more optimal risk-adjusted portfolios, and build predictive models with higher accuracy.
In finance, portfolio optimization aims at finding optimal investments maximizing a trade-off between return and risks, given some constraints. Classical formulations of this quadratic optimization problem have exact or heuristic solutions, but the complexity scales up as the market dimension increases. Recently, researchers are evaluating the possibility of facing the complexity scaling issue by employing quantum computing. In this paper, the problem is solved using the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE), which in principle is very efficient. The main outcome of this work consists of the definition of the best hyperparameters to set, in order to perform Portfolio Optimization by VQE on real quantum computers. In particular, a quite general formulation of the constrained quadratic problem is considered, which is translated into Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization by the binary encoding of variables and by including constraints in the objective function. This is converted into a set of quantum operators (Ising Hamiltonian), whose minimum eigenvalue is found by VQE and corresponds to the optimal solution. In this work, different hyperparameters of the procedure are analyzed, including different ansatzes and optimization methods by means of experiments on both simulators and real quantum computers. Experiments show that there is a strong dependence of solutions quality on the sufficiently sized quantum computer and correct hyperparameters, and with the best choices, the quantum algorithm run on real quantum devices reaches solutions very close to the exact one, with a strong convergence rate towards the classical solution, even without error-mitigation techniques. Moreover, results obtained on different real quantum devices, for a small-sized example, show the relation between the quality of the solution and the dimension of the quantum processor. Evidences allow concluding which are the best ways to solve real Portfolio Optimization problems by VQE on quantum devices, and confirm the possibility to solve them with higher efficiency, with respect to existing methods, as soon as the size of quantum hardware will be sufficiently high.
Quantum computing is poised to revolutionize financial intelligence by offering unprecedented computational power for solving complex problems in portfolio optimization and risk assessment. As financial markets become increasingly data-driven and interconnected, classical computational methods struggle to handle the exponential growth of financial data and the complexity of optimization challenges. Novel quantum algorithms, such as quantum approximate optimization algorithm, variational quantum Eigensolver and quantum enhanced Monte Carlo simulations, offer new ways of asset allocation, risk modelling and predictive analytics. In this chapter, we discuss how quantum computing can be used to optimize portfolio management strategies via efficient solutions to constrained optimization problems and subsequently enhanced risk and return tradeoffs. Furthermore, quantum machine learning techniques improve risk assessment models by providing better credit risk analysis, liquidity risk forecasting, and modeling volatility.
This research investigates the efficacy of quantum and classical algorithms in the context of portfolio optimization, focusing on a dataset comprising 20 equities from India's National Stock Exchange over a duration of three years. The study employs quantum methodologies such as the Quantum Approxi-mate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA), the Variational Quantum Eigensolver (VQE), and the Exact Minimum Eigen Solver, alongside conventional strategies including Mean-Variance Op-timization, Genetic Algorithms, and Simulated Annealing. The methodology for this study includes data preprocessing, issue designing, and performance evaluation based on metrics such as MSE, RMSE, and Mean Absolute Error. The results obtained show quantum algorithms exhibit better performance over the classical methods regarding prediction accuracy and risk-return profiles, especially the Exact Minimum Eigen hSolver and QAOA. The Exact Minimum Eigen Solver and QAOA had the lowest MSE values (0.006 and 0.005, respectively), whereas the best-performing classical technique, the Genetic Algorithm, had an MSE of 0.0105. These findings imply that quantum algorithms provide significant advantages in portfolio optimization problems, with the potential to revolutionize financial optimization tactics. The research can be further unfolded into avenues for future inquiry, including expansion of the choice of assets, alternative data sources integration, as well as hybrid quantum-classical models to efficiently enhance portfolio management strategies.