Groowe Groowe BETA / Newsroom
⏱ News is delayed by 15 minutes. Sign in for real-time access. Sign in

Helium Market Trends and Growth Opportunity (2026-2031) with Regional Market Assessments

globenewswire.com
INTC Intel is mentioned as constructing new semiconductor fabs in the US and Asia, funded by the CHIPS Act. These facilities will demand significant amounts of high-purity helium, contributing to market growth. However, the article also highlights supply volatility and geopolitical factors affecting the helium market. TSM TSMC is mentioned as constructing new semiconductor fabs in the US and Asia, funded by the CHIPS Act. These facilities will demand significant amounts of high-purity helium, contributing to market growth. However, the article also highlights supply volatility and geopolitical factors affecting the helium market. HON Honeywell is mentioned for its Dry Piney project expanding regional helium capacity in North America. This indicates a positive development for the company in the context of the helium market's growth, but it's a minor mention within a broader market analysis. GEHC GE HealthCare is mentioned for its Freelium technology that reduces helium usage in MRI machines. While this innovation could impact helium demand, the article also notes the continued dominance of conventional MRI units, suggesting a mixed impact.

Dublin, Jan. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Helium - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The market is segmented by Phase (Liquid Helium, Gaseous Helium), Application (Breathing Mixes, Cryogenics, Leak Detection, Pressurizing and Purging, Welding), End-User Industry (Aerospace, Electronics, Healthcare, Nuclear Power, Welding), and Geography (Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe).

The Helium Market was valued at 6.41 Billion Cubic Feet in 2025 and is projected to increase from 6.78 Billion Cubic Feet in 2026 to reach 8.95 Billion Cubic Feet by 2031, registering a CAGR of 5.72% during the forecast period (2026-2031). The expansion is fueled by strong demand from industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, medical imaging, commercial space launches, and quantum computing, each leveraging helium's ultra-low boiling point and chemical inertness.

Despite rising demand, the market grapples with supply volatility, as fewer than 15 producers dominate global output. The 2024 privatization of the U.S. Federal Helium Reserve further tightened supply, removing subsidized stock. New capacities from South Africa, Qatar, and Russia offer temporary relief, yet structural concentration presses users towards long-term contracts and recycling investments. Semiconductor capacity expansions backed by the U.S. CHIPS Act, the European Chips Act, and various Asian government incentives are amplifying demand, while the extension of MRI fleets in mid-income countries maintains healthcare's lead as the largest helium consumer.

Explosive Semiconductor Fab Build-Out in East Asia

Foundry expansions in China, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea boost the helium market, as chip fabrication plants require gaseous helium for wafer cleaning, lithography atmosphere control, and plasma etching. TSMC, Intel, and Samsung are constructing new fabs in the U.S. and Asia funded by the CHIPS Act and equivalent regional programs, with each facility demanding hundreds of millions of standard cubic feet of high-purity helium across its lifecycle. Taiwan's semiconductor concentration amplifies regional demand, as advanced packaging processes utilize helium for die bonding and encapsulation. The increasing semiconductor consumption intensity linked to node miniaturization secures double-digit helium demand growth through 2030.

MRI Fleet Expansion Across Mid-Income Hospitals

In Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Africa, hospitals are deploying MRI scanners to enhance diagnostic capabilities for chronic diseases, despite emerging helium-light technologies. Conventional MRI units require substantial volumes of liquid helium during installation and their operating lifespan. Helium conservation technology that reclaims 92% of boil-off gas is emerging in tertiary hospitals, although initial costs limit widespread adoption primarily to teaching centers. Although new platforms like GE HealthCare's Freelium and Siemens Healthineers' DryCool reduce helium usage by 99%, the dominance of conventional MRI magnets is expected to continue into the next decade.

Finite Reserves and Concentration in a Few Countries

Approximately 70% of known helium reserves are located in the United States, Qatar, Algeria, and Russia, creating geopolitical leverage and potential supply manipulation that heavily influences the helium market. China's dependence on imports for 95% of its helium underlines its vulnerability to diplomatic tensions and logistics challenges. EU sanctions on Russian helium demonstrate how rapidly policy changes can disrupt trade and drive up prices. Though recycling reduces waste, it cannot replace primary supply, emphasizing the necessity for strategic reserves.

Additional Key Market Dynamics Include:

Segment Analysis

Gaseous helium, comprising 70.65% of the 2025 market volume, is extensively used in pressurization, purging, and leak-testing. The segment is growing at a 6.03% CAGR as advanced technology nodes demand minimal contamination, maintaining a significant market share for process gases. Gaseous helium also benefits sectors such as aerospace welding and additive manufacturing, which leverage helium's thermal conductivity for precise weld profiles.

Emerging hydrogen-fuel tests and EV battery leak detection further sustain its market dominance. In parallel, MRI expansion, quantum-system scaling, and high-energy physics laboratories underline the steady demand for liquid helium, with on-site liquefiers and efficient recovery systems mitigating boil-off losses while overall volumes continue to climb.

Geography Analysis

North America accounted for 38.55% of the 2025 market volume, supported by vast reserves and developed infrastructure. Following the 2024 Federal Helium Reserve privatization, end-users were prompted to negotiate directly with producers at market rates, with new projects like Honeywell's Dry Piney expanding regional capacity. Semiconductor fabs in Arizona, Ohio, and Texas further drive consumption growth.

Asia-Pacific is expected to exhibit the highest 7.05% CAGR through 2031, propelled by semiconductors, satellite manufacturing, and medical imaging in China, Japan, India, and South Korea. China's reliance on helium imports necessitates strategic diversification and micro-liquefier deployments. Japan's incentives for next-generation memory plants increase helium expenditures, while India's expanding fabs and healthcare bolster demand. Europe faces supply restructuring as sanctions curtail Russian helium imports, with end-users sourcing from Qatar and the U.S., absorbing higher costs and integrating recovery systems to mitigate fluctuations.

Key Topics Covered:

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/vd5afw

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.