Worldwide silicon wafer shipments saw a 7.4% year-on-year increase in Q2 2026, reaching 3,573 million square inches (MSI), according to the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG). This represents a 9.1% jump from the previous quarter.

"Silicon wafer shipments maintained steady growth in the second quarter, driven by strong and increasing AI-related demand beyond advanced logic and memory to include power devices, photonics, and other markets," stated Ginji Yada, Chairman of SEMI SMG and Managing Executive Officer at SUMCO Corporation. He also noted recovering industrial and automotive demand, with memory price pressures impacting PC and smartphone markets.

Device manufacturers are investing in capacity expansion, suggesting continued growth in silicon wafer demand. Silicon wafers are the foundational material for most semiconductors, serving as the substrate for fabrication. The SMG, a SEMI Electronic Materials Group sub-committee, collects industry statistics and addresses related issues.