SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 6, 2026, 09:17 PST
- SIA forecasts that worldwide semiconductor sales will hit roughly $1 trillion by 2026
- Global chip sales jumped 25.6% in 2025, reaching $791.7 billion
- Logic and memory chips drove gains, fueled by rising AI demand throughout the supply chain
Global semiconductor sales reached $791.7 billion in 2025 and are expected to climb to around $1 trillion in 2026, the Semiconductor Industry Association reported Friday. “Global sales in 2026 are projected to reach roughly $1 trillion,” said SIA president and CEO John Neuffer. (Semiconductor Industry Association)
Hitting $1 trillion is a huge psychological milestone for an industry embedded in nearly every modern product, from phones to cars to cloud servers. This comes as tech firms continue investing heavily in new data centers to power AI software—a push that’s beginning to squeeze parts supply.
In 2025, advanced computing chips powering AI systems saw the fastest growth, with Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices, and Intel leading the charge, Reuters reported. Neuffer mentioned executives sounded optimistic during a recent Silicon Valley trip but also expressed uncertainty about the AI boom’s longevity: “No one knows what’s going to happen with the AI build out a year from now, but my orders are completely full.” (Reuters)
December sales climbed 2.7% from November, reaching $78.88 billion, driven by increases in the Americas and China. Europe and Japan, however, saw declines, according to World Semiconductor Trade Statistics data. The numbers reflect a three-month moving average, which helps level out short-term fluctuations.
Big tech firms are gearing up for a massive AI spending spree, Reuters reports, with plans to pour $600 billion into artificial intelligence projects in 2026. Investors, however, are split on when these investments will start to pay off. Carlota Estragues Lopez, an equity strategist at St. James’s Place in London, noted, “Headlines that would have pushed shares to fresh highs during the peak of AI optimism are now being interpreted far more cautiously by investors.” (Reuters)
Industry watchers have been eyeing a market close to $1 trillion for months. In its Autumn 2025 forecast, WSTS projected the global semiconductor market to jump over 25% in 2026, reaching $975 billion. Logic and memory chips are expected to drive growth, while automotive-related “discretes” remain a weak area. (WSTS)
Memory is a hot issue right now. A worldwide shortage is driving prices up, affecting everything from smartphones to laptops. Apple CEO Tim Cook told investors memory chip costs might surge significantly. “There are different levers that we can push, and who knows how successful they’ll be, but there’s just a range of options,” Cook said. (Reuters)
The race to $1 trillion isn’t guaranteed. If data-center spending cools off or chip production ramps up faster than expected, prices and revenues could take a hit—especially in memory, where supply fluctuations hit hard.
