MILPITAS, CA – Worldwide silicon wafer shipments increased 5.8% year over year in 2025 to 12,973 million square inches (MSI), marking a return to volume growth driven largely by AI-related demand.

Despite higher shipments, global silicon wafer revenue declined 1.2% to $11.4 billion, reflecting continued pricing pressure and slower recovery in traditional semiconductor segments such as automotive, industrial, and consumer electronics.

SEMI said growth was led by strong demand for advanced epitaxial wafers used in logic devices and polished wafers for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), supported by investments in data centers, generative AI and the ongoing transition to sub-3nm processes. Demand for 300mm wafers remained particularly strong in leading-edge applications requiring higher material quality and consistency.

In contrast, mature-node markets showed only gradual improvement as inventory levels normalized following extended corrections. SEMI characterized the current wafer market as a two-track environment, with sustained momentum in advanced nodes and a slower, more cautious recovery in legacy applications.