Global Chip Sales Surge in Q1 as March Sales Rise 79.2% Year-Over-Year

There appears to be nothing stopping semiconductor sales, not war, not economic uncertainty, and not supply shortages. According to the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), global semiconductor sales in the first quarter of 2026 were $298.5 billion, up 78% over the $167.7 billion reported in Q1 2025.

Traditionally, the period from Q4 to Q1 of the following year is a slow one for semiconductors coming off the Christmas rush. But that’s when consumer products drove the market. With the AI buildout going on and construction of massive data centers worldwide, corporate sales now dominate. Hyperscalers, not laptop buyers, are driving semiconductor sales.

It’s evident in the rise in sales from Q4 25 to Q1 26. Rather than slow down and take a breather like the industry typically has done, global sales were $99.5 billion in March 2026, an 11.5% rise over the $89.2 billion in February. Year over year, the growth is even more impressive with March 2026 sales rising 79.2% from the $55.5 billion in March 2025.

“Global chip sales remain on track to reach $1 trillion in 2026, with Q1 sales significantly exceeding sales in Q4 2025,” said John Neuffer, SIA president and CEO, in a statement. “Strong sales across the Asia Pacific region, the Americas, and China drove global semiconductor market growth, highlighting broad and robust demand for semiconductors and the countless tech products they enable.”

Regionally, year-to-year sales in March were up in the Asia Pacific/All Other (108.5%), the Americas (83.1%), China (74.8%), Europe (46.5%), and Japan (7.4%). Month-to-month sales in March increased in the Americas (13.3%), China (12.7%), Asia Pacific/All Other (9.8%), Europe (8.4%), and Japan (7.1%).