[News] Key Semiconductor Gas WF₆ Prices Reportedly Surge Over 200% as Supply Tightens Ahead of Japan Output Cuts
While China’s rare earth export controls continue to draw market attention, another key semiconductor material is also seeing sharp price swings. According to chinastarmarket.cn, citing China’s General Administration of Customs, tungsten hexafluoride (WF₆) hit $149.79 per kilogram in April 2026, up 28.33% year-on-year and 203.83% month-on-month.
As highlighted by The Elec, WF₆ is a critical precursor gas used to form tungsten films on semiconductor wafers, which act as conductive pathways inside chips. It is applied in DRAM, NAND, and logic production, but demand is especially high in 3D NAND, where vertically stacked structures require repeated deposition steps—so a 200-layer design typically involves around 200 cycles, the report explains.
ChemNet highlights that since 2026, tightening overseas supply chains, China’s tungsten export controls, and surging semiconductor demand have sharply widened the global supply–demand gap for high-purity WF₆. According to the report, China’s export restrictions on tungsten materials have tightened supply, with tungsten powder accounting for 60%–70% of WF₆ production, quickly triggering price increases by major suppliers.
WF₆ Supply Tightens as Japanese Output Cuts Loom
Notably, The Elec reported in April that Japan’s Kanto Denka Kogyo and Central Glass had warned South Korean chipmakers such as Samsung Electronics and DB HiTek of potential WF₆ supply disruptions. ChemNet adds that inventories at the two Japanese suppliers are expected to last only through May–June, leaving second-half supply uncertain.
Against this backdrop, ChemNet reports that Kanto Denka and Central Glass are expected to permanently halt production starting July 2026, a move that could reshape the supply landscape.
Global WF₆ output is estimated at just 8,000–9,000 tons annually, according to chinastarmarket.cn. The two Japanese suppliers, focused on 6N and above grades, account for roughly 2,000–2,200 tons combined, meaning their rumored exit would have a material impact on global supply, the report notes.
Korean producers are also making moves, as SK Specialty and Foosung, as per ChemNet, also announced 70%–90% price hikes for 2026 during April–May.
WF₆ Prices Skyrocket as Supply Tightens Globally
Amid tightening global supply, WF₆ prices have surged across all purity grades. According to ChemNet, China’s 5N-grade (99.999%) WF₆ is currently quoted at RMB 1,670–1,810 per kilogram, up 232.7% year-on-year. Meanwhile, prices for 6N-grade material have reportedly climbed further to RMB 2.2–3.0 million per ton, rising more than 190% from early April levels.
Thus, Chinese suppliers are said to be emerging as alternative sources. ChemNet notes that China’s WF₆ industry is rapidly rising, forming a competitive landscape led by CSSC Sci-Tech, followed by Haohua Gas and Grandit in the second tier, while other players are also accelerating expansion. Total domestic capacity in China, as per the report, has reached around 4,500 tons per year, accounting for nearly 50% of global supply.
Notably, ChemNet adds that CSSC Sci-Tech has already entered the supply chains of leading global foundries and memory makers, including TSMC, Samsung, SMIC, and China’s leading NAND flash producer, with domestic memory makers accounting for more than 60% of its procurement.
However, the report, citing analysts, also points out that new WF₆ capacity builds and customer qualification cycles typically take 18–24 months, meaning the global market is likely to remain in tight balance before 2027, with prices expected to stay elevated.
Read more
- [News] China’s Tungsten Carbide and Powder Exports to Japan Reportedly Drop to Zero in Feb–Apr as Prices Surge
- [News] Potential Supply Disruptions of Tungsten Hexafluoride from Japan: Implications for the Semiconductor Industry
(Photo credit: TSMC)
