76 billion for the first quarter of 2026, a 15% increase compared to the same period in 2025, and expects full-year sales for 2026 to reach between €36 billion and €40 billion, an increase from its previous forecast range. 2 billion. South Korea accounted for 45% of ASML's system sales this quarter as manufacturers there ramp up production for AI-related memory chips, while ASML's sales to China accounted for 33% of its revenue in 2025, a decrease from 41% the year before.
TSMC is expanding chip fabrication plants across the US, Japan, and Taiwan, focusing on advanced 3-nanometer semiconductors, and has pledged $165 billion of commitments in building plants in Arizona. Christophe Fouquet, ASML CEO, said the semiconductor industry's growth outlook continues to solidify, particularly as logic and memory customers accelerate their capacity expansion plans, and that ASML's updated sales forecast for 2026 is designed to accommodate various potential outcomes regarding ongoing discussions over export controls. C.
Wei, TSMC CEO and chairman, stated that AI-related demand continues to be extremely robust, adding that TSMC's conviction in the multi-year AI megatrend remains high and they believe the demand for semiconductors will continue to be very fundamental. 4% in the European trading session at the time of writing, and TSMC's growth comes despite rising costs partly attributed to the Iran war, which is disrupting the world's supply of chemicals and gas such as helium essential for chipmaking. Wendell Huang, TSMC chief financial officer, noted that rising costs stemming from the Iran war could weigh on profitability, but TSMC has prepared safety stock inventory on hand including for helium and is not expecting any near-term impact on operations.
It remains unclear what specific export control discussions are ongoing that ASML's sales forecast is designed to accommodate, how much further ASML's Chinese sales could decline this year due to regulatory pressures, and what exact impact the Iran war is having on global supply chain costs for chipmakers beyond helium and chemicals.