Chinese fabless companies giving foundries more business, more than doubling their orders since 2016
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 01, 2018 –
China-based fabless IC firms are expected to account for 19% of the global total of pure-play foundry sales in 2018, up from about 9% in 2016 and about 13% last year, according to market research firm IC Insights.
Overall, IC Insights forecasts that the pure-play foundry market will be worth about $59 billion this year, up 8% compared with 2017. China is forecast to be responsible for 90% of the $4.2 billion increase in the total pure-play foundry market this year, the firm said.
With the rise of fabless firms in China in recent years, the country's share of the global pure-play foundry market has been growing rapidly. But in 2018, China's pure-play foundry business is projected to grow at the fastest rate yet, rising by 51% to reach $11.25 billion - more than any other market outside of North America. The 51% growth rate of sales to China is more than eight times the forecast 8% rise for the market as a whole.