June 15, 2026 /SemiMedia/ — Revenue from the world’s top 10 semiconductor foundries reached a record $47.95 billion in the first quarter of 2026, rising 3.7% from the previous quarter, according to the latest research from TrendForce.

The research firm said strong shipments of AI high-performance computing chips and related components helped offset the traditional seasonal slowdown. Early inventory pull-ins from TV, PC and notebook supply chains also supported additional orders for foundry suppliers.

Smartphone demand remained affected by seasonal weakness, but consumer electronics customers increased inventories of peripheral ICs, reducing the impact of the usual first-quarter downturn.

TSMC remained the clear market leader. Supported by strong demand for AI server GPUs, xPU products, Agentic AI applications and server CPUs, TSMC’s first-quarter revenue rose 6.3% sequentially to about $35.86 billion. Its foundry market share increased to 72%, further widening its lead over competitors.

Samsung’s foundry business, excluding System LSI, benefited from some early orders tied to TV and PC supply chains, but this was not enough to fully offset smartphone weakness. Revenue declined 5.8% sequentially to more than $3.2 billion, while market share fell to 6.5%. The company remained the world’s second-largest foundry.

SMIC benefited from early inventory demand from TV brands and PC ODM customers, while some wafer price increases negotiated with 8-inch customers in the second half of 2025 began taking effect. Its first-quarter revenue increased 0.6% sequentially to $2.51 billion, with market share holding at 5.1%, keeping it in third place.

HHGrace, part of Hua Hong Group, recorded a slight increase in shipments, but lower average selling prices offset part of the volume gain. Including HLMC, Hua Hong Group revenue rose 1.2% sequentially to $1.23 billion, with market share remaining at 2.5%.

Nexchip was one of the main beneficiaries of the current inventory replenishment cycle because of its customer exposure to TV and PC peripheral IC markets. First-quarter revenue increased 3.2% to $400 million, lifting its ranking from ninth to eighth and marking its best position to date.

Looking ahead, TrendForce expects early inventory demand from TV and PC/notebook ODMs and brands to continue for about one more quarter. Smartphone makers are also expected to gradually enter their new-model build cycle.

As utilization rates improve, some foundries have begun signaling possible price increases in the second half of the year. Prices for selected process nodes may begin to recover from recent lows, potentially encouraging customers to place orders earlier to avoid future increases.

TrendForce said AI-related advanced-node capacity and power management IC demand continue to exceed expectations, creating order spillover effects and worsening capacity tightness. The firm expects top 10 foundry revenue to reach another record in the second quarter, with sequential growth likely to expand.