Chip sales top half a trillion dollars in a single quarter

Global semiconductor sales reached $517.7 billion in the third quarter of 2026, up 24.1% from the second quarter, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA). September alone was $172.6 billion, 146.8% above a year earlier and 7.9% above August.

Broad-based growth

Growth was broad. Year on year, September sales rose 191.7% in the Americas, 141.4% in Asia Pacific/All Other, 102.5% in Europe and 73.4% in Japan. Month on month, sales rose 11.0% in the Americas, 8.7% in Japan, 8.1% in Europe, 6.9% in Asia Pacific/All Other and 4.2% in China. SIA president and CEO Michael Robbins said worldwide sales increased by more than 20% quarter on quarter for the third consecutive quarter.

Two cautions

Two cautions. First, the monthly figures are three-month moving averages compiled by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization, and earlier periods are revised: Q2 2026 now implies roughly $417 billion, up from the $403.3 billion first reported in August. Second, much of the increase comes from memory, where prices have risen sharply, so revenue growth is not the same as growth in the number of chips shipped. (Silicon Analytica reading, not stated by SIA.)