A computer-implemented method for performing asset selection is disclosed, using asset data comprising asset parameters defining a plurality of assets. The method generates
control data defining a
quantum circuit having a plurality of circuit modules, including a parameter loading module arranged to
encode the asset parameters of the plurality of assets onto a set of qubits of a
quantum computer and a portfolio loading module arranged to
encode a set of possible asset combinations as a superposition of a further set of qubits of the
quantum computer, each asset combination corresponding to a selection of one or more of the plurality of assets. The circuit modules further include a computation module for calculating a portfolio selection metric based on the asset parameters and the possible asset combinations, wherein the computation module is arranged to produce a quantum superposition state of the
quantum computer that corresponds to values of the selection metric for each of the asset combinations encoded by the portfolio loading module, and a quantum
estimation module arranged to perform quantum
estimation to find an optimal value in the superposition state that corresponds to an optimal value of the selection metric. The
control data defining the
quantum circuit is transmitted to the
quantum computer for execution. The method then identifies from an output of the
quantum computer the asset combination of the set of possible asset combinations that corresponds to the optimal selection metric value identified by the quantum
estimation module and generates an output specifying the identified asset combination.