On November 4, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported, based on WSTS data, that global semiconductor sales reached $517.7 billion in the third quarter of 2026, up 24.1% quarter-on-quarter — a new record, Science Board Daily (Cailian Press) reported.
September alone generated $172.6 billion in sales, with every major regional market up strongly year-on-year: the Americas led with +191.7%, China grew +124.9%, and Japan — the weakest region — still rose +73.4%.
SIA president and CEO Michael Robbins noted that global sales have now posted three consecutive quarters of over 20% QoQ growth across all major regions, underscoring the industry's role in driving innovation, productivity and economic competitiveness.
Full-year estimates look set for revision. WSTS had projected roughly $1.655 trillion for 2026; after another 20%-plus QoQ quarter, that figure now reads conservative. AI remains the engine: memory leader SK Hynix posted record quarterly revenue above 100 trillion won, Samsung's operating profit hit records, and the fab-expansion cycle continues to build out.
Q3 by the numbers
Global sales: $517.7B, +24.1% QoQ, record high
September: $172.6B
YoY: Americas +191.7%, China +124.9%, Japan +73.4% (weakest region)
Streak: third consecutive quarter above +20% QoQ
With growth concentrated in the AI chain, regional rankings are shifting too — the Americas and China's outsized gains show compute demand spreading into a global capital-expenditure cycle. Q4 data will test how far the full-year revision can go.