SEMI said quarterly semiconductor manufacturing equipment spending rose 14% from a year earlier, with mainland China, South Korea and Taiwan making up more than 70% of the total.
Global semiconductor manufacturing equipment sales climbed to a record $36.55 billion in the first quarter of 2026, rising 14% from a year earlier and 1% from the previous quarter, SEMI said. Spending remained concentrated in Asia, where mainland China led with $10.99 billion, followed by South Korea at $8.93 billion and Taiwan at $8.77 billion. Those three markets together accounted for more than 70% of worldwide outlays, underscoring how heavily chipmaking capacity investment is centered in the region.