Global wafer foundry industry, 2026 and beyond

DIGITIMES estimates global wafer foundry revenue to reach US$199.4 billion in 2025, representing annual growth of more than 25%. Looking ahead to 2026, the revenue is expected to continue benefiting from the expansion of AI applications, growing another 17% to surpass US$230 billion. By 2030, global foundry revenue is projected to approach US$390 billion.

In response to robust demand for AI chips, foundries are expected to significantly expand advanced-process capacity over the next five years, while investments in mature processes will primarily be fueled by China's policy initiatives. Although AI applications are accelerating the development of the wafer foundry industry, concerns remain over potential bubbles in AI infrastructure investment as well as unresolved geopolitical risks. Thus, while industry prospects appear promising, multiple challenges still lie ahead.

With macroeconomic conditions and end-market demand for smartphones and notebooks remaining subdued, AI applications remain the core growth driver for the wafer foundry sector. Cloud service providers (CSPs) are sharply increasing investments in AI computing power, fueling demand for AI accelerators and AI ASICs. The global foundry revenue is projected to achieve a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.3% from 2025 to 2030, with revenue in 2030 expected to be twice that of 2025.