What is fuelling an almost 90% surge in semiconductor revenues? AI-driven memory demand is set to propel the global chip market beyond US$1.5 trillion in 2026.
The global semiconductor industry is expected to expand at an unprecedented pace over the next two years, with the market to exceed US$1.5 trillion in 2026 before approaching US$1.9 trillion in 2027, according to the latest Spring 2026 forecast from the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS).
WSTS has sharply revised its outlook following stronger-than-anticipated performance in late 2025 and the opening months of 2026. It now projects the global semiconductor market to grow by 89.9% year-on-year in 2026, reaching US$1.511 trillion, up from US$795.6 billion in 2025.
The forecast attributes much of the growth to the memory segment, which is expected to increase by 249.5% in 2026 to US$803.9 billion, compared with US$230.0 billion in 2025. Demand linked to artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and accelerated computing platforms is expected to remain a key driver.
Logic devices are forecast to generate US$411.4 billion in revenue in 2026, representing growth of 37.3% from US$299.5 billion in 2025. Other categories are expected to record more moderate gains, including microprocessors, up 19.8% to US$101.7 billion; analogue semiconductors, up 10.2% to US$95.4 billion; discrete semiconductors, up 8.0% to US$33.2 billion; sensors, up 3.0% to US$21.5 billion; and optoelectronics, up 2.7% to US$44.2 billion.
Regionally, the Americas are forecast to post the strongest growth, rising 112% from US$256.5 billion in 2025 to US$543.7 billion in 2026. Asia-Pacific is expected to expand by 87.4% to US$823.9 billion, while Europe is projected to grow by 58.4% to US$86.6 billion and Japan by 27.6% to US$57.1 billion.
For 2027, WSTS expects the market to continue growing, albeit at a slower pace, reaching US$1.914 trillion, an increase of 26.6%. Memory is forecast to rise a further 32.1% to US$1.06 trillion, while logic devices are expected to grow 27.1% to US$522.8 billion.
The Americas and Asia-Pacific are anticipated to remain the largest contributors to global growth as investment in AI systems and advanced computing infrastructure continues.
