With the global demand for semiconductors surging, global semiconductor shipments are expected to increase by 9.2% this year and record a growth rate of 7–8% over the next five years.



According to IC Insights, global semiconductor shipments this year are projected to reach 427.7 billion units, a 9.2% increase in unit terms. This growth approached the long-term compound annual growth rate of 9.4% for IC units and was assessed as continuing a very significant increase of 22% in IC units during the economic recovery period of 2021.

In terms of units, semiconductor shipments in 2022 are expected to reach an all-time high of 427.7 billion units, which is about five times that of 2000 and over 44 times that of 1980.

In 2019, shipments decreased slightly compared to the previous year, which is one of the few instances in the history of the semiconductor market where unit shipments decreased year-on-year. They explained that the years when shipments decreased were 1985, 2001, 2009, and 2012, and that there had never been a decrease for two consecutive years.

Of the 33 major IC product categories defined by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS), 30 are expected to show positive unit growth this year, while shipments are projected to decline in the SRAM, DSP, and gate array sectors. In addition, 12 of the major product sectors are expected to match or exceed the projected growth rate of 9.2%.

IC Insights predicted that the IC Unit's compound annual growth rate would be 7% from 2021 to 2026. It noted that, excluding periods of exceptionally high or low compound annual growth rates, the IC Unit's long-term growth rate would reach 7–8%, adding that this is lower compared to the 9.4% recorded over 42 years.