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.

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.

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.

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%.