Research Articles

The global RFID market continues to expand, with IDTechEx forecasting growth from US$15.6 billion in 2025 to US$23 billion by 2036. and associated software and services across both passive and active technologies. Drawing on insights from IDTechEx's latest research study, "RFID 2026-2036: Forecasts, Players and Opportunities", this article provides a high-level overview of the market outlook and examines regional trends across the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa.

The RFID industry is expected to maintain its upward trajectory, with IDTechEx forecasting the passive RFID market to reach a total value of US$8.4 billion in 2025, representing growth of approximately 10% compared to 2024. This article provides a detailed breakdown of the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) and High Frequency (HF) segments, analyzing their current market dynamics, growth drivers, and long-term opportunities.

Principal Technology Analyst Dr Chang covers the status of the passive RFID market in 2025 and the outlook to 2031.

The global RFID market is set to continue its expansion in 2025. IDTechEx forecasts it to reach US$15.6 billion, up from US$15 billion in 2024. Looking further ahead, the market is expected to grow to US$23 billion by 2036. This article presents an overview of the RFID market outlook and regional trends, based on insights from the new report, "RFID 2026-2036: Forecasts, Players and Opportunities".

At IDTechEx, we closely track the global semiconductor and computing landscape, spanning advanced silicon nodes, HPC (High Performance Computing) hardware, AI, advanced semiconductor packaging, photonics, and quantum computing. This article examines how geopolitical tensions are redirecting global investments in advanced semiconductor technologies, reshaping the semiconductor supply chain in pursuit of technological sovereignty.

At GTC 2025, NVIDIA announced two new networking switch platforms - Spectrum-X Photonics and Quantum-X Photonics - based on Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) technology. Both platforms incorporate TSMC's 3D hybrid bonding technology for its CPO, and these will be the world's first 3D-stacked silicon photonics engine.

Advanced semiconductor packaging is experiencing significant growth due to the interplay of technological, economic, and market forces. As silicon scaling approaches its limits, advanced packaging offers a viable alternative for boosting chip performance, particularly for high-performance computing (HPC) applications like AI and data centers, which demand increased computational power and bandwidth.

The evolution of telecommunications continues with each decade, and as 5G becomes widespread, attention is shifting to the next generation: 6G. Promising next-level capabilities compared to next generation, 6G will offer data rates reaching terabits per second (Tbps), microsecond-level latency, and ultra-high level of network reliability.

As semiconductor packaging technologies evolve, advanced methods like 2.5D and 3D Cu-to-Cu hybrid bonding are essential for achieving higher performance and power efficiency. However, manufacturing these technologies to meet high performance and yield standards while fulfilling client requirements is complex.

Emerging advanced semiconductor packaging technologies, such as 2.5D and 3D hybrid bonding, are crucial for enhancing system performance across various applications such as AI and high-performance computing. This article explores the technology development trends in 2.5D and 3D packaging technologies and the key market growth drivers.

CPO represents a significant leap in data transmission technology by integrating the optical engine and the switching silicon onto the same substrate. This design eliminates the need for signals to traverse the PCB, further reducing the electrical channel path and significantly improving performance.

The rise of co-packaged optics is transforming modern data centers and high-performance networks by addressing critical challenges such as bandwidth density, energy efficiency, and scalability. CPO enhances interconnect bandwidth and energy efficiency by integrating optics and electronics within a single package, significantly shortening electrical link lengths.

Photonic Integrated Circuits are photonic circuits formed on a semiconductor material that allows light to pass through it, such as silicon dioxide, also known as Silica (or Glass). These photonic circuits contain components for manipulating light passing through the circuit, enabling functionalities such as data transmission, sensing, and processing within a compact form factor. PICs are fundamentally altering how we manage and utilize optical signals, paving the way for advancements across multiple industries.

IDTechEx projects that the combined market for optical and radio-frequency metamaterials will reach US$15 billion by 2034. This article will delve into the key applications driving the expansion of the Radio-Frequency (RF) metamaterial market.

Over the past decade, the capacity of data center Ethernet switches has surged from 0.64 Tbps to 25.6 Tbps, driven by the adoption of 64x400 Gbps or 32x800 Gbps pluggable optical transceiver modules. However, these high-speed modules, within their current form factors, pose significant challenges. Issues include the required densities of electrical and optical connectors, as well as escalating power consumption.

Antenna packaging methodologies have evolved significantly to counter the escalating signal attenuation in high-frequency communications like 5G mmWave and anticipated 6G networks. Previously, antennas were positioned on PCBs; now, there's a shift towards integrating antennas directly onto the same package as the RF chip.

Semiconductor packaging has evolved from traditional 1D PCB levels to cutting-edge 3D hybrid bonding at the wafer level, achieving interconnecting pitches as small as single micrometers and over 1000 GB/s bandwidth. Key parameters, including Power, Performance, Area, and Cost, are crucial considerations. Power efficiency is enhanced through innovative packaging techniques, while Performance benefits from shorter interconnection pitches. Area requirements vary for high-performance chips and 3D integration's smaller z-form factor.

Antenna-in-package (AiP) technology is essential for high-frequency telecommunications, as it enables the integration of antennas with RF components directly into semiconductor packages, unlike traditional discrete antennas. This advancement, tailored for mmWave applications and potentially extending into the sub-THz spectrum for 6G, promises much smaller footprints and enhanced performance.

The semiconductor industry continually pushes packaging technology boundaries to meet the demand for higher chip performance and efficiency. Bandwidth is one of the critical factors defining the amount of data transmitted between dies on a package.

Millimeter-wave (mmWave), previously confined to military, satellite, and automotive radar applications, has now entered the mobile communications frequency spectrum, offering high data throughput of up to 20 Gbps with an ultralow latency of just 1 ms.

Advanced semiconductor packaging technologies like 2.5D and 3D hybrid bonding, along with emerging solutions like silicon photonics, are critical in optimizing system performance and fostering the next wave of AI and HPC chip innovation.

Semiconductor packaging technologies have evolved from initial 1D PCB levels to the cutting-edge 3D hybrid bonding packaging at the wafer level. This advancement facilitates single-digit micronmeter interconnecting pitches, achieving over 1000 GB/s bandwidth with high energy efficiency.

Computers on wheels. That's how people currently see cars. Practically everything that happens in a vehicle is being monitored and actuated by a microcontroller, from opening windows to calculating the optimal fuel-air mixture for the current torque demand. But the surface has only just been scratched in terms of how much computing power is making its way into vehicles.

Every decade, a new telecom generation emerges, with 5G currently being commercialized, offering faster data rates, low latency, and enhanced reliability. 6G is characterized by Tbps data rates, microsecond latency, and extensive network dependability.

Ensuring that sensitive electronic components are not adversely affected by radiated electromagnetic interference (EMI) is an essential part of circuit design. Where compactness and close component proximity are a priority, such as in smartphones and smartwatches, conventional board-level shielding with metallic enclosures is increasingly being replaced with conformal package-level shielding.

It is no secret that electronic devices are becoming increasingly compact, with greater functionality contained in smaller volumes. As such, increasing efforts are being made to mount integrated circuits (ICs) and other components such as antennas closer together, sometimes within the same semiconductor package.

Bumping technologies for advanced semiconductor packaging have evolved significantly to address the challenges posed by shrinking contact pitches and the limitations associated with conventional flip-chip soldering. One prominent advancement in this field is the 3D Cu-Cu Hybrid Bonding technology, which offers a transformative solution. IDTechEx have been closely monitoring the advancements in 2.5D and 3D advanced semiconductor packaging.

With the ever-increasing demand for higher performance and efficiency in electronic devices, the semiconductor industry is constantly pushing the boundaries of packaging technology. In the context of interconnected dies on a package, the system's performance relies heavily on the signaling that happens within the package.

This is a data-centric world. The growing amount of data generated in various industries increasingly drives the demand for high-bandwidth computing. Applications such as machine learning and AI require powerful processing capabilities, leading to the need for dense transistor placement on chips and compact interconnection bump pitches in packaging.

In 2022, Walmart made a momentous announcement that sent ripples through the RFID industry. As the world's leading retailer, Walmart revealed its ambitious plan to expand the utilization of RFID technology beyond retail apparel and encompass other critical retail departments.

Advanced semiconductor packaging technologies are crucial due to the slowing of Moore's law and rising costs of monolithic Si IC development and manufacturing. Initially, components were individually packaged and integrated at the PCB board level, but as devices become smaller and require higher processing capabilities, component integration needs to be pushed beyond board level.

The RFID industry is expected to maintain its growth trajectory, with IDTechEx forecasting a market value of US$14 billion in 2023, up from US$12.8 billion in 2022. This market value encompasses various RFID form factors, including labels, cards, fobs, and tags, as well as scanners, software, and services for both active and passive RFID technologies. Among these, the "Passive RFID Tags" segment stands out as the largest, comprising more than half of the total RFID market.

6G is the next generation of wireless technology that promises to go beyond mobile communication and revolutionize how people interact with the world around them. According to IDTechEx's latest 6G research, 6G could be with us in 2028 at the earliest.

Three years after 5G was officially commercialized, while most of the deployments are primarily focused on 5G mid-band, the development of 5G mmWave technology has also been underway. 5G mmWave, operating in high-frequency bands between 24-100 GHz, offers faster data transfer rates, low latency, and higher bandwidth compared to the previous wireless technology.

The RFID business continues to grow. The global RFID market is anticipated to continue to grow in 2023, with IDTechEx projecting a market value of US$14 billion in 2023, up from US$12.8 billion in 2022. This market value comprises of RFID labels, cards, fobs, and other form factors, as well as tags, scanners, and software/services for inactive and active RFID.

6G, compared to its predecessor, is expected to offer significantly better communication capabilities, such as Tbps-level peak data rates, microsecond-level latency, and 99.99999% network dependability.