SMIC ranked third among the world’s largest foundries by revenue in the second quarter of 2026, with more than US$3 billion in revenue and a 5.4% share, according to TrendForce’s 9 September 2026 report. It did not newly move into third place that quarter: TrendForce also ranked SMIC third in 1Q26. Its share rose from 5.1% to 5.4%, narrowing the gap with second-place Samsung Foundry.
What the ranking measures
TrendForce’s ranking compares foundries by revenue from semiconductor manufacturing services; it is not a ranking by chip count, wafer output, or all semiconductor manufacturing. Its 2Q26 figures cover the top ten global foundries. The reported 5.4% is SMIC’s share in that foundry-revenue comparison, not the share of SMIC’s own revenue attributable to wafer services.
TrendForce reported that the top ten generated nearly US$53.49 billion combined in 2Q26, up 11.5% quarter over quarter. Revenue rankings can reflect product mix and pricing as well as customer demand, so position or market share should not be read as a measure of unit output.
How SMIC compared with other leading foundries
The following figures are TrendForce’s 2Q26 estimates, published 9 September 2026.
#1 Best Overall
| 2Q26 rank | Foundry | Revenue | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TSMC | Nearly US$40.2 billion | 72.5% |
| 2 | Samsung Foundry | US$3.26 billion | 5.9% |
| 3 | SMIC | More than US$3 billion | 5.4% |
| 4 | UMC | Nearly US$2.18 billion | 3.9% |
| 5 | GlobalFoundries | Approximately US$1.79 billion | 3.2% |
SMIC remained well behind Samsung in share, but the difference narrowed from the previous quarter. TrendForce put SMIC at US$2.51 billion in 1Q26 revenue and 5.1% share, still third; Samsung was second with more than US$3.2 billion and 6.5% share. For 2Q26, TrendForce reported SMIC revenue above US$3 billion, up 20% from 1Q26, and a 5.4% share. The quarter-to-quarter comparison shows a stronger revenue result and a smaller share gap, not a change in rank.
What TrendForce says drove SMIC’s growth
TrendForce attributed the increase to several demand and supply factors, rather than to a single customer or contract:
- Advance procurement in consumer supply chains, particularly for PCs and notebooks.
- Rising orders for AI-related peripheral chips and server-networking products.
- Widespread memory shortages, which TrendForce said supported foundry demand and pricing for NAND and NOR Flash.
These are TrendForce’s explanations for the quarter. They do not establish the contribution of any particular customer, product, or agreement to SMIC’s revenue.
The firm described the broader 2Q26 increase among the top ten as a record quarter. Its explanation included constrained supply for advanced processes used in AI and high-performance computing (HPC), more demand for peripheral AI components such as power-management ICs and power discretes, and advance consumer-sector procurement that tightened some mature-process capacity.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteRevenue rank is not wafer output
SMIC’s reported market share and its operating measures use different denominators. TrendForce’s 5.4% compares SMIC’s foundry revenue with the top-ten market analysis; it does not mean 5.4% of wafers or chips worldwide.
Separately, VLSI Market’s monitor transcribed SMIC’s Q2 issuer results as US$3,005.588 million in revenue, 2,869,495 standard-logic 8-inch-equivalent wafers shipped, and 93.7% utilization. These are monitor-transcribed company figures, not TrendForce’s share calculation, and they have not been independently verified here against SMIC’s own release. They should not be conflated with the cross-company revenue ranking.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What comes next
TrendForce forecast that seasonal smartphone launches and production of next-generation AI/HPC products could support foundry revenue in 3Q26. That was a forecast in its 9 September report, not a report of observed third-quarter results. Foundry rankings and shares are updated quarterly, so the 2Q26 position describes that quarter rather than a permanent standing.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute
