Global Semiconductor Sales Reached US$49.1 Billion in May, up 19.3% YoY

According to the latest data released by the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) of the United States, the global semiconductor industry sales in May totaled US$49.1 billion, an increase of 4.1% from US$47.2 billion in the previous month, and a surge of 19.3% from US$41.2 billion in May 2023. 

In terms of revenue, SIA accounts for 99% of the US semiconductor industry and nearly two-thirds of non-US chip companies. The sales data released is compiled by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics Organization (WSTS).

By region, the Americas market had the most outstanding semiconductor sales performance in May, with a growth of 43.6% over the same period last year; China and Asia Pacific/all other regions also increased by 24.2% and 13.8% respectively over the same period last year; Japan and Europe decreased by 5.8% and 9.6% respectively.

John Neuffer, president and CEO of SIA, said: "Since the beginning of 2024, global semiconductor sales have maintained an annual growth trend, and the growth rate in May has reached a new high since April 2022."

Since the beginning of this year, global semiconductor sales have shown double-digit growth every month. SIA predicts that global semiconductor industry sales are expected to increase by 16.0% year-on-year to US$611.2 billion in 2024, and will continue to increase to US$687.4 billion in 2025, setting a record high for two consecutive years.

Behind the growth in sales, it is natural that artificial intelligence drives the growth in demand for chips such as HBM. Official statistics from South Korea show that thanks to the surge in demand for semiconductors driven by AI, South Korea's exports in June 2024 increased by 5.1% year-on-year to US$57 billion, and have been growing for nine consecutive months; among them, semiconductor chips, which are the main export of South Korea, exported US$13.4 billion in June, with an annual growth rate of 50.9%, a record high for a single month in history.