Silicon Wafer Market Report 2026

The silicon wafer market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $19.3 billion in 2025 to $20.59 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth of consumer electronics manufacturing, expansion of semiconductor fabs, increasing demand for personal computing devices, early adoption of silicon-based ICs, development of silicon ingot manufacturing techniques.

The silicon wafer market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $26.06 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to rising EV and power electronics demand, growth in renewable energy installations, increasing investment in advanced semiconductor nodes, expansion of telecom and 5g infrastructure, demand for high-performance computing chips. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing demand for larger diameter silicon wafers, rising adoption of high-purity silicon for advanced ICs, growing use of silicon wafers in solar cell manufacturing, advancements in wafer polishing and surface finishing, expansion of specialty wafers for power and RF devices.

The silicon wafer market is poised for growth due to a significant increase in solar panel installations. Solar panels, also known as photovoltaic (PV) panels, convert sunlight directly into electricity using multiple solar cells. They offer renewable and sustainable energy sources, presenting an attractive alternative to finite fossil fuels, which contribute to environmental pollution and climate change. Silicon wafers are integral components of solar panels, efficiently converting solar radiation into electricity and promoting sustainable energy practices while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. For example, a report published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in April 2023 revealed that global photovoltaic (PV) installations reached 231 gigawatts of direct current (GWdc) in 2022, totaling 1.2 terawatts of direct current (TWdc) cumulatively. China witnessed a 57% annual increase in PV installations, accounting for 42% of global demand, driven mainly by distributed PV installations. Forecasts predict annual installations to exceed 300 GW by 2023 and surpass 400 GW by 2025, thereby driving the silicon wafer market.

Major companies in the silicon wafer market are concentrating on creating advanced solutions, such as large-diameter silicon carbide wafers, to improve manufacturing efficiency, enhance device performance, and reduce per-wafer costs. Large-diameter silicon carbide wafers enable higher throughput and support next-generation power devices used in automotive, renewable energy, industrial, and other fast-growing sectors. For example, in September 2025, Wolfspeed, a US-based semiconductor company, introduced its 200 mm silicon carbide materials portfolio, which includes 200 mm bare and epitaxial wafers. These wafers feature a thickness of 350 µm with industry-leading doping and thickness uniformity, improving MOSFET yields and shortening time-to-market. Designed for superior scalability and quality, these wafers allow manufacturers to efficiently produce high-performance devices while utilizing insights gained from earlier 150 mm silicon carbide wafer products.

In April 2023, Robert Bosch GmbH, a Germany-based multinational engineering and technology company, acquired certain assets of TSI Semiconductors. The acquisition is intended to establish advanced manufacturing capacity for silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors, which are vital for electric vehicles, and to strengthen Bosch’s global semiconductor network. TSI Semiconductors is a US-based semiconductor company that produces 200-mm silicon wafers used in mobility, telecommunications, energy, and life sciences applications.

Major companies operating in the silicon wafer market are International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), The Dow Chemical Company, Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd., Applied Materials Inc., Komatsu Electronic Metals Co. Ltd., Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd., Texas Instruments Incorporated, Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), SUMCO Corporation, GlobalWafers Co. Ltd., Siltronic AG, SunEdison Inc., SOITEC SA, SunEdison Semiconductor Limited, Wafer Works Corporation, EV Group (EVG), Shinryo Corporation, Okmetic Oy, Topsil Semiconductor Materials A/S, MTI Corporation, NexWafe GmbH, MEMC Electronic Materials Inc., SK Siltron Co. Ltd., Silicon Materials Inc., Ultrasil Corporation.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

Tariffs have impacted the silicon wafer market by increasing costs for raw silicon materials, precision manufacturing equipment, and cross-border wafer supply chains. These effects are most visible in large-diameter wafer segments and in Asia-Pacific and North American regions with heavy semiconductor fabrication activity. Higher costs have pressured margins for electronics and automotive supply chains. At the same time, tariffs are encouraging local wafer manufacturing, capacity expansion, and supply chain localization, supporting long-term market resilience.

The silicon wafer market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides silicon wafer market statistics, including silicon wafer industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with an silicon wafer market share, detailed silicon wafer market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the silicon wafer industry. This silicon wafer market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

A silicon wafer is a slender slice of semiconductor material, typically silicon, utilized in the fabrication of integrated circuits and various microdevices. Serving as the foundation for microelectronic devices, these wafers are indispensable in the production of electronics ranging from computers to solar cells. The manufacturing process involves slicing silicon ingots into wafers, which are then polished and doped to achieve the desired electrical properties.

The primary types of silicon wafers comprise N-type and P-type. N-type wafers are doped with elements such as phosphorus or arsenic to generate an excess of negative (electron) charge carriers and are employed in the production of electronic components such as diodes, transistors, and solar cells. These wafers are categorized into various sizes, including 0-100 mm, 100-200 mm, 200-300 mm, and over 300 mm, catering to end-users in sectors such as consumer electronics, automotive, industrial, telecommunications, and others.Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the silicon wafer market in 2025, and is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the silicon wafer market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the silicon wafer market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The silicon wafer market consists of sales of polished wafers, epitaxial wafers, silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers, and diffusion wafers. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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