September 26, 2026 / SemiMedia / — Global silicon wafer prices are facing increasing upward pressure heading into 2027 as strong demand for 300mm products combines with higher manufacturing costs and a new round of long-term supply agreement negotiations.

The clearest tightening is occurring in the 300mm market. Siltronic said demand for 300mm wafers remained robust in 2026, driven mainly by memory and logic applications, with capacity utilization expected to remain high throughout the year. The 200mm market, by contrast, is still recovering from weaker demand and lower pricing.

GlobalWafers has reported a similar trend. The company said in June that its existing 12-inch production lines, excluding newly expanded capacity still undergoing qualification, were operating at full utilization, while 8-inch production was also running at high loading levels.

Pricing could begin to shift more visibly from the second half of 2026 and into 2027 as suppliers negotiate new long-term agreements. GlobalWafers management said new contract pricing will need to reflect higher energy, freight, tariff, depreciation and production costs. The company did not provide a fixed percentage increase and said 2027 pricing will depend on product specifications, demand and cost conditions.

Long-term agreements are an important part of the wafer pricing cycle. Large semiconductor manufacturers often secure supply under multiyear contracts, limiting suppliers' ability to change prices during the agreement period. As existing contracts reach renewal windows, wafer makers gain an opportunity to reset pricing based on current market conditions.

In July, GlobalWafers and Micron also announced plans for a 10-year long-term supply framework covering advanced silicon wafers, alongside $500 million in strategic financing from Micron. The companies said the agreement is intended to secure wafer supply for advanced memory driven by AI, high-performance computing and data center demand.

AI infrastructure remains a major demand driver. GPUs, CPUs, HBM and high-performance storage products used in AI servers rely heavily on 300mm wafer production, increasing consumption of advanced silicon substrates as data center investment continues.

The pricing trend is unlikely to be uniform across the market. While advanced 300mm wafers are moving toward tighter supply, some 200mm and mature-product segments continue to face weaker pricing conditions. Price increases in 2027 are therefore likely to vary by wafer size, specification and contract structure.

Some market forecasts have suggested substantial increases for selected silicon wafer products in 2027, but major suppliers including Shin-Etsu, SUMCO, GlobalWafers and Siltronic have not announced a uniform industry-wide increase. The stronger signal today is that 300mm utilization is rising, new LTAs are being negotiated, and wafer suppliers are increasingly seeking prices that reflect higher manufacturing and capacity costs.