Semiconductor sales set new record as logic and memory lead growth
Global semiconductor sales surged to a new high in 2025, underscoring the scale and speed of the industry’s rebound. According to the European Semiconductors Industry Association (ESIA), worldwide chip sales reached US$ 791.69 billion for the year, marking a 26.1% increase compared to 2024.
For eeNews Europe readers, the figures provide a clear view of where demand is accelerating most strongly, from product categories to regional performance. They also help put Europe’s more modest growth into context against a sharply expanding global market.
Logic and memory dominate global growth
According to the release, the strongest drivers of global semiconductor growth in 2025 were logic devices and MOS memory. Logic chip sales rose 42% year-on-year, while MOS memory increased by 35.2%, reflecting sustained demand from compute-intensive applications such as AI, cloud infrastructure and high-performance systems.
Momentum built steadily through the year. ESIA reported global semiconductor sales of US$ 236.65 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025, up 13.6% compared with Q3 2025 and 38.5% higher than Q4 2024. The association attributed the quarterly surge “mostly” to continued strength in total MOS memory and total logic, which again outperformed other device categories.
Europe grows more slowly, with mixed dynamics
In Europe, the picture was more muted. Semiconductor sales in the region reached US$ 54.46 billion in 2025, representing a 6.2% increase versus the previous year, according to ESIA. While positive, the growth rate lagged well behind the global average.
Within Europe, MOS memory was again the standout performer, posting growth of 35.7%, while logic devices increased by 15.6%. However, ESIA noted that gains were partially offset by a sharp decline in MOS microcomponents, which fell by 19.2% over the year.
Quarterly data shows a similar pattern. European semiconductor sales totalled US$ 14.59 billion in Q4 2025, up 3.7% compared to Q3 2025 and 17.0% higher than Q4 2024. According to the release, MOS memory was the main contributor to the quarterly improvement, with most other product segments remaining broadly stable.
Application-specific chips ride data center investment
Beyond logic and memory, application-specific chips also delivered strong growth in 2025. Globally, sales in this segment rose 32.7% year-on-year to US$ 370.46 billion. ESIA linked much of that increase to a 63.4% jump in chips for computers and peripherals, driven by “strong investment in data centres and related infrastructure.” In Europe, sales for this category reached US$ 27.20 billion, up 6.5% compared with 2024.
Currency effects add another layer
ESIA also pointed to exchange rate effects in Europe’s reported results. Measured in euros, European semiconductor sales in Q4 2025 amounted to EUR 12.98 billion, up 2.4% versus Q3 2025 and 12.8% compared to Q4 2024, according to the release, highlighting how currency movements continue to shape the regional picture.
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