Direct Attach Cable Market Report 2026

The direct attach cable market size has grown rapidly in recent years. It will grow from $3.76 billion in 2025 to $4.17 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to expansion of data centers globally, rising adoption of cloud computing, demand for low-latency connectivity in enterprise networks, early deployment of copper DACs in server racks, increasing HPC infrastructure.

The direct attach cable market size is expected to see rapid growth in the next few years. It will grow to $6.28 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to growth of hyperscale data centers, increasing HPC and AI workloads, adoption of hybrid and active optical cabling, rising demand for short-reach high-speed interconnects, expansion of cloud computing and enterprise networking. Major trends in the forecast period include increased adoption of copper direct attach cables in short-reach links, deployment of high-speed twinax cables for low-latency applications, growth of hybrid cabling solutions combining fiber and copper, rising preference for energy-efficient and cost-effective cabling, expansion of data center and HPC interconnect infrastructure.

The growing demand for high-speed internet is expected to propel the growth of the direct attach cable market. High-speed internet refers to broadband services that provide fast, reliable, and continuous data transmission, enabling seamless access to digital applications, cloud services, and real-time communication. The increasing internet penetration is primarily driven by the expansion of mobile networks, which provide wider and more affordable access to online services, particularly in remote and underserved areas. Direct attach cables support the demand for high-speed internet by enabling fast and reliable data transmission across networks. They facilitate high-bandwidth applications with low latency and power consumption, making them essential for modern data centers and cloud connectivity. For instance, in 2023, according to the International Telecommunication Union, a Switzerland-based specialized agency of the United Nations, the number of internet users increased from 5.1 billion (64% penetration) in 2022 to 5.4 billion (67% penetration) in 2023. Therefore, the growing demand for high-speed internet is driving the direct attach cable market.

Key companies operating in the direct attach cable market are focusing on developing technologically advanced products, such as passive direct attach copper cables, to improve speed, efficiency, and energy savings in data centers. Passive direct attach copper cables (DACs) are twinax copper cables without active electronic components, used for short-distance, high-speed connections between network devices such as switches and servers. For instance, in April 2025, ProLabs Ltd, a UK-based optical connectivity solutions company, launched the 1.6T OSFP224 direct attach cables (passive twinax, 0.5 m and 1 m SKUs) supporting up to 1.6T with low insertion loss and high signal integrity. These are designed for next-generation data centers and high-performance computing networks, featuring high-density DACs and active optical cables (AOCs) that support massive data throughput. They include advanced compatibility and auto-negotiation features, enabling seamless integration with existing network switches and routers without manual configuration or performance tuning.

In February 2025, Lisconn, a US-based connectivity solutions company, acquired Mcurich Inc. for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, Lisconn aims to strengthen its high-speed interconnect capabilities by integrating Mcurich’s expertise in direct attach cables, active copper cables, active electrical cables, and active optical cables into its high-speed connection solutions business unit. Mcurich Inc. is a Taiwan-based high-speed connectivity solutions company specializing in the design and manufacturing of direct attach cables.

Major companies operating in the direct attach cable market are Dell Technologies Inc., Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Hitachi Metals Ltd., Cisco Systems Inc., Supermicro Inc., Amphenol Corporation, Panduit Corp, Extreme Networks Inc., The Siemon Company, T&S Communication Co. Ltd., Aruba Networks LLC, 10Gtek Transceivers Co. Ltd., Beyondtech Inc., L Com Inc, MikroTik LSC, Shenzhen Nufiber Systems Technology Co. Ltd., Ubiquiti Networks Inc., Shenzhen JHA Technology Co. Ltd., Wuhan Yongxinfeng Science & Technology Co. Ltd., HTFuture (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd.

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 direct attach cable market by increasing costs for imported copper conductors, connectors, and twinax materials, especially affecting regions such as North America, Europe, and parts of Asia-Pacific. Short-reach DAC and hybrid cable segments are most affected due to their dependency on imported raw materials and components. On the positive side, tariffs are encouraging local manufacturing, incentivizing investments in cost-efficient and energy-saving cable solutions, and promoting supply chain diversification to reduce dependency on imports.

The direct attach cable market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides direct attach cable market statistics, including direct attach cable industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a direct attach cable market share, detailed direct attach cable market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the direct attach cable industry. This direct attach cable 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 direct attach cable is a high-speed twinax copper cable with fixed transceivers at both ends, used to connect network equipment such as switches, routers, or servers directly. It enables short-distance, low-latency data transmission within data centers. It provides a cost-effective and energy-efficient alternative to optical transceivers for links typically under 7 meters.

The key cable types of direct attach cable are active optical cables (AOCs), passive optical cables (POCs), copper direct attach cables (DACs), and hybrid cables. Active optical cables (AOCs) use optical fiber technology with integrated transceivers to deliver high-speed data transmission over long distances with low signal loss. They are divided based on connector type into lucent connector (LC) connectors, subscriber connector (SC) connectors, multi-fiber push-on or mechanical transfer push-on (MPO or MTP) connectors, and straight tip (ST) connectors, and categorized by length as less than 1 meter, 1 to 5 meters, 5 to 10 meters, 10 to 30 meters, and more than 30 meters. Key applications include data centers, cloud computing, telecommunications, high-performance computing (HPC), and enterprise networking, serving industry verticals such as information technology, telecommunications, healthcare, entertainment and media, and education.North America was the largest region in the direct attach cable market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the direct attach cable market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the direct attach cable market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

The direct attach cable market consists of sales of high-density data center interconnect cables, breakout direct attach cables, twinax copper cables, customized length and coded direct attach cable (DAC) assemblies, and high-density patch panels. 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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