South Korea Overtakes China as ASML's Largest Market in Q1, Taiwan Ranks Second
South Korea overtook China to become Dutch semiconductor equipment supplier ASML's largest market in Q1 2026, accounting for 45% of its sales. Taiwan ranked second, while China's share dropped to 19%.
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- 📰 Published: April 16, 2026 at 04:49
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(Central News Agency, New York, 15th) According to Bloomberg News, South Korea overtook China in the first quarter of this year to become the largest market for Dutch chipmaking equipment supplier ASML, while Taiwan ranked second.
ASML's shipments of chipmaking equipment to South Korea surged in the first quarter (January to March), accounting for 45% of net system sales, up from 22% in the previous quarter. Sales in the latest quarter reached 2.84 billion euros (approximately 3.34 billion US dollars), higher than the 1.67 billion euros in the previous quarter.
Although ASML did not name specific customers, South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix Inc. are the major memory chip makers.
ASML released its financial report today, noting that the memory market accounted for more than half of its equipment sales in the first quarter.
ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet stated in a video accompanying the earnings release: 'On the memory side, customers are telling us that capacity for 2026 is already fully booked. Supply constraints will continue beyond 2026.'
According to reports, Taiwan was ASML's second-largest market in the first quarter of this year. China's share of net system sales dropped to 19%, a significant decline from the more than one-third share it held in the fourth quarter of last year.
ASML's shipments of chipmaking equipment to South Korea surged in the first quarter (January to March), accounting for 45% of net system sales, up from 22% in the previous quarter. Sales in the latest quarter reached 2.84 billion euros (approximately 3.34 billion US dollars), higher than the 1.67 billion euros in the previous quarter.
Although ASML did not name specific customers, South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix Inc. are the major memory chip makers.
ASML released its financial report today, noting that the memory market accounted for more than half of its equipment sales in the first quarter.
ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet stated in a video accompanying the earnings release: 'On the memory side, customers are telling us that capacity for 2026 is already fully booked. Supply constraints will continue beyond 2026.'
According to reports, Taiwan was ASML's second-largest market in the first quarter of this year. China's share of net system sales dropped to 19%, a significant decline from the more than one-third share it held in the fourth quarter of last year.