RF market to reach $70 billion by 2030 in new era of integration and global competition

Yole Group announced the release of its first edition of the Status of the RF Industry report, providing a panoramic view of the RF semiconductor market — a foundational sector now facing strategic inflection points across applications, technologies, and global value chains.

The report delivers a detailed analysis of RFFE devices, RFICs, and the market ecosystem spanning mobile, telecom, automotive, defense, and industrial applications. According to Yole Group, the global RF market is expected to grow from $51.3 billion in 2024 to $69.7 billion by 2030, as integration, performance, and sovereignty take center stage.

Cyril Buey, Senior Technology & Market Analyst, Radio Frequency at Yole Group, said: “RF technologies are everywhere -- from your smartphone to your car, and, from telecom towers to defense radars. This first report synthesizes decades of RF innovation and provides forward-looking guidance for an industry under major transformation.”

Mobile RF dominates, but pressure builds from China
The mobile and consumer segments lead the RF market, accounting for the highest share in both revenue and volume. US giants like Qualcomm, Broadcom, Skyworks, and Qorvo dominate, offering advanced RFFE modules and RF SoCs for smartphones and connected devices. In parallel, Samsung and MediaTek serve high-volume markets across Asia, with varied integration strategies.

Chinese RF companies are also part of the playground. They are accelerating efforts to reduce foreign dependency, with leading players like Maxscend, Vanchip, and Smarter Micro. HiSilicon also confirms its return with dedicated in-house RFFE and SoC solutions.

At Yole Group, analysts forecast two fast-growing subsegments by 2030:
* RFFE modules: more than $17 billion,
* RF SoCs for cellular + Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/GNSS exceeding $23 billion,

Discrete RF devices including PAs, LNAs, switches, and filters with almost $14 billion is also part of this RF landscape.

Filters represent the most dynamic segment and the second largest part of the RF front-end market in terms of value. Filters are the dominant components among discrete devices. In this context, Yole Group views this as an ideal opportunity to assess the various SAW technologies available from different players, considering their implementation, technological approaches, and costs. This new comparison report is now available: SAW Filter Comparison 2025.

Ihor Pershukov, Technology & Cost Analyst, Radio Frequency at Yole Group, added: "Since 2022, we have observed a progressive distancing from FBAR and SMR BAW technologies with the penetration of high-performance SAW, which offer similar performance below 3.5GHz and at a lower cost. We expect rapid penetration of high-performance SAW in the coming years."

Infrastructure and sovereignty fuel telecom RF competition
In telecom infrastructure, GaN technology is gradually replacing LDMOS in massive MIMO base stations. Companies such as NXP, Qorvo, SEDI, and Analog Devices lead this market segment internationally. However, China is scaling up domestic production of GaN-based RF solutions and LDMOS with suppliers like Sanan IC, Wuatek, and Dynax.

The global 6G race is now a critical driver of RF sovereignty strategies, with government-backed programs underway in the US, China, Japan, Korea, and Europe.

Automotive, aerospace, and industrial expand RF footprint
RF is becoming essential in automotive ADAS, infotainment, and connectivity. NXP and Infineon Technologies lead with SiGe, CMOS solutions, and GaAs-based radar ICs. In parallel, UWB adoption is accelerating, with Apple, Qorvo, and NXP anchoring the ecosystem across smartphones, smart homes, and vehicles.

In defense, RF innovation focuses on high-power broadband systems for radar, satcom, and EW. Once again, GaN-based designs dominate this market segment. Meanwhile, industrial and medical applications prioritize reliability and low power, but have long certification cycles.

New era for RF begins
The Status of the RF Industry 2025 report is Yole Group’s first dedicated reference covering the entire RF landscape, from discrete components to highly integrated SoCs, and from volume-driven consumer markets to highly specialized defense and infrastructure systems.

Key takeaways
* RFFE market to grow from $51.3 billion in 2024 to $69.7 billion by 2030. This market will have a ~4.5% CAGR, driven by 5G, consumer connectivity, and emerging 6G technologies.
* Mobile and consumer dominate the RF market.
* US players lead the mobile RF market, while Chinese players are accelerating the development of domestic supply chains with rising suppliers like Maxscend and Vanchip.

Technology status
* 5G and 6G drive integration: RF modules and SoCs increasingly combine PAs, filters, switches, tuners, and multiple wireless standards.
* GaN reshapes telecom infrastructure, as China, the U.S., Europe, Japan, and South Korea race for 6G leadership.
* Automotive RF is evolving with ADAS radars, Wi-Fi, GNSS, and UWB, while SiGe, GaAs, and CMOS RFICs enable radar functionality.
* GaN technologies take the lead in electronic warfare and radar systems as defense and industrial sectors require robust broadband RF components.