Finance
AI boom seen lifting chipmaking equipment sales 9% to $126 billion in 2026
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 16, 2025
Last updated: January 7, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on December 16, 2025
Last updated: January 7, 2026
AMSTERDAM, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Sales of equipment used to make computer chip wafers will rise about 9% to $126 billion in 2026 and a further 7.3% to $135 billion in 2027, as chipmakers expand capacity for logic and memory chips used in artificial intelligence, industry group SEMI forecast on Tuesday.
Most chips are made in Asia, and SEMI expects China, Taiwan and South Korea to remain the top markets for equipment through 2027, with China investing the most overall.
Taiwan, home to top chipmaker TSMC, will expand leading-edge capacity, while South Korea, home to Samsung and SK Hynix, is investing in advanced memory chips used for AI.
"All other regions tracked are (also) expected to see equipment spending increase in 2026 and 2027, supported by government incentives, regionalization efforts and targeted specialty capacity expansions," SEMI said.
The biggest supplier of chip equipment, ASML of the Netherlands, accounts for about a quarter of sales. Other top firms include Applied Materials, KLA Corp and Lam Research of the U.S., and Japan’s Tokyo Electron.
(Reporting by Toby SterlingEditing by Mark Potter)
Chipmaking equipment refers to the machinery and tools used in the production of semiconductor chips, which are essential components in electronic devices.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, particularly computer systems, enabling them to perform tasks such as learning and problem-solving.
Logic chips are semiconductor devices that perform logical operations and are used in a variety of electronic applications, including computers and smartphones.
Memory chips are types of semiconductor devices used to store data in electronic devices, including RAM (Random Access Memory) and flash memory.
Market expansion refers to the strategy of entering new markets or increasing sales in existing markets to grow a company's customer base and revenue.
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