Global Semiconductor Market Continues Growth in Q2 2026, AI and Automotive Drive Industry Boom
According to the latest data from the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS), the global semiconductor market reached $158.7 billion in Q2 2026, up 12.3% year-on-year and 4.1% quarter-on-quarter. This marks the ninth consecutive quarter of positive growth since 2024. Analysts point out that the continued ramp-up of AI chips and the deepening of automotive electrification and intelligence serve as the dual engines driving industry growth.
Strong Demand for AI Chips Drives Tight Capacity for Advanced Nodes
With the explosion of demand for large model training and inference, AI chip makers such as NVIDIA and AMD are fully booked. TSMC's Q2 2026 earnings call revealed that its 3nm and 5nm node utilization rates both exceeded 95%, with AI-related chip orders accounting for 35%. In addition, demand for HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) is also strong, with HBM3E products from Samsung and SK Hynix in short supply, keeping memory chip prices stable in Q2.
Automotive Electronics Penetration Rises, Analog Chips and MCUs Benefit
Production and sales of new energy vehicles continue to grow, with the semiconductor value per electric vehicle reaching 2–3 times that of traditional fuel vehicles. According to an Omdia report, the global automotive chip market grew 18% YoY in Q2 2026, with significant growth in power semiconductors (IGBT, SiC), analog chips, and MCUs. The order visibility for automotive-grade chips from Infineon, Texas Instruments, and others has extended into 2027.
Memory Chip Prices Generally Stable, NAND Flash Slightly Soft
In terms of supply-demand, DRAM prices rose about 3% QoQ in Q2, supported by DDR5 and HBM demand; while NAND Flash edged down 2% QoQ due to weak consumer electronics demand. However, with new smartphone launches and the PC replacement cycle in H2, memory chip prices are expected to remain volatile.
Wafer Foundry Utilization Remains High, Competition Intensifies in Mature Nodes
Global major wafer foundries averaged 88% capacity utilization in Q2, up 2 percentage points from Q1. Advanced nodes (7nm and below) neared full utilization, while mature nodes (28nm and above) saw divergence due to new capacity and weakening demand for some products. UMC, SMIC, and others plan to increase the share of specialty processes (e.g., BCD, eNVM) to cope with competition.
H2 Outlook: AI and Automotive Remain Key Themes, Watch Inventory Adjustments
Multiple institutions forecast the global semiconductor market will exceed $700 billion for the first time in 2026. In H2, watch for consumer electronics demand recovery as expected, and supply chain disruptions from potential US export control policy escalation against China. Overall, AI computing demand looks strong long-term, automotive chip penetration has room to rise, and the semiconductor industry boom is expected to continue.
Vietnam, as a key destination for semiconductor supply chain relocation, leverages cost advantages and geographic location to attract packaging, testing, and module assembly projects. The Vietnam Investment News website will continue to follow relevant investment opportunities.