WSTS forecasts indicate a new milestone for the semiconductor industry. Following exceptionally strong results in late 2025 and early 2026, the global semiconductor market is now projected to grow 90% in 2026, reaching USD 1.51 trillion.
Extraordinary expansion of the Memory segment
The sharp upward acceleration is overwhelmingly driven by the Memory segment. This is forecast to surge by around 250% year over year, reaching more than USD 800 billion in 2026. Continued strong demand for AI infrastructure, high-bandwidth memory (HBM), and accelerated computing platforms remains the primary growth catalyst for the semiconductor industry. Besides, the Logic segment is expected to be another major contributor, growing 37% in 2026.
Other product categories are forecast to expand at more moderate rates, reflecting a broader industry growth: Microprocessors (+20%), Analog (+10%), Discrete Semiconductors (+8%), Sensors and Optoelectronics (+3%).
Regionally, all major markets are projected to show strong growth. The Americas are expected to more than double in 2026 with 112% growth, driven by the concentration of AI-related semiconductor demand and cloud infrastructure investments. Asia Pacific is forecast to grow 87%, while Europe and Japan are projected to grow 58% and 28% respectively.
Good performance also for monthly sales
The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) announced global semiconductor sales were USD 110.5 billion during the month of April 2026. This represents an increase of 11% compared to the March 2026 total of USD 99.5 billion and 93.9% more than the April 2025 total of USD 56.9 billion. Regionally, year-to-year sales in April were up in the Americas (+115.8%), Asia Pacific/All Other (+114.9%), China (+78.6%), Europe (+54.7%), and Japan (+15.6%). Besides, month-to-month sales increased in the Americas (+16.7%), Asia Pacific/All Other (+8.7%), China (+8%), Europe (+6.7%), and Japan (+6.4%).
“Global semiconductor sales – said John Neuffer, SIA president and CEO – increased on a month-to-month basis for the 14th consecutive month in April, and the global market continues to notch robust year-to-year growth driven by sales into the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, and China. Meanwhile, the global semiconductor industry is projected to hit $1.5 trillion in sales in 2026 – reaching that milestone earlier than previously expected – fueled by increasing demand for AI infrastructure and accelerated computing platforms”.
SIA represents 99% of the U.S. semiconductor industry by revenue and nearly two-thirds of non-U.S. chip firms. The Semiconductor Industry Association endorsed WSTS forecasts for 2026.
2027 outlook: growth continues above historical industry trends
Also for the next year, trends should be largely positive. WSTS forecasts the global semiconductor market to grow a further 27%, reaching approximately USD 1.9 trillion. Memory is again expected to lead market expansion with projected growth of 32%, while Logic is forecast to increase by 27%.
