Chip Resistors Market

Chip Resistors Market Analysis

The Chip Resistors Market size is estimated at USD 1.22 billion in 2025, and is expected to reach USD 1.59 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 5.4% during the forecast period (2025-2030).

The large-scale digitization across various sectors and the proliferation of applications like the Internet of Things, AI, and cloud computing are anticipated to offer a significant boost to the growth of the studied market.

• Several chip resistor types are available to address the design and application requirements, such as general-purpose chip resistors, high precision chip resistors, current sense chip resistors, high voltage chip resistors, high power chip resistors, and high resistance chip resistors.
• General-purpose chip resistors are utilized in surface-mount circuit designs wherever a standard or general resistor for voltage reduction (voltage dividers), current control (current limiters), or similar requirements is needed. These are typically thick-film resistors. In the present market scenario, thick film resistors gain significant traction due to their increasing application in test and measurement equipment, monitoring equipment, medical equipment, audio, precision controls, and instrumentation.
• High-voltage circuits are standard for lighting, HV instrumentation, HV industrial, or other HV applications where high-voltage chip resistors are needed. High-power resistors may be used in general-purpose resistors where high power density is required, as they offer higher power ratings than general-purpose chip resistor analogs. High-resistance chip resistors are typically used in high-impedance instruments, test equipment circuits, temperature measurement circuits, voltage dividers, circuits for gain setting, etc.
• Electric car sales are expanding at a rapid pace each year, assisting the automobile industry in combating climate change and other environmental issues. According to the International Energy Agency, sales of EVs significantly increased in 2022, accounting for 1.02 million electric vehicles. Such instances indicate the growing demand for MLCC in the automotive sector. Further, the high adoption of EVs and the complete phase-out dates of ICE engines set by various governments will drive the growth of MLCC in the automotive sector. Manufacturers of electric cars install chip resistors to increase the energy efficiency and robustness of the electronic systems used in these vehicles. These advancements in the automobile industry will fuel market trends.
• On the flip side, unprecedented increases in the cost of ruthenium, a critical element in the production of thick film paste incorporated in thick film chip resistors, have resulted in delayed lead times. Moreover, due to the large percentage of variable costs in the production of chip resistors relying on raw materials, price surges and short supply are anticipated for the rest of FY 2022.
• In addition, the trade disputes in South Africa regarding platinum mines are directly impacting the fluctuations in these prices. Ruthenium has experienced a significant price increase in the last few years, from USD 40 per troy ounce to as high as USD 850 per troy ounce, corresponding with shortages of thick film chip resistors. However, this price increase has resulted in customers seeking alternative resistor designs, including those based on thin-film nickel.

Chip Resistors Market Trends

Consumer Electronics Segment is Expected to Drive the Market's Growth

• Resistors are one of the most commonly used passive components in electronic circuits because they resist the flow of sudden voltage spikes, which are enough to cause damage to electronic equipment almost instantly. Multiple resistor types find widespread application in consumer electronics such as computers, PCs, and notebooks.
• Surface-mount chip resistors are tiny and used significantly for printed circuit boards (PCBs) incorporated in smartphones and laptops, and most silicon-printed circuits use them for operations that ensure signals are always right. Also, varistors, often described as movistors (a contraction of the words metal oxide varistor), are among the resistors available in various forms. They are significantly utilized in the surge or transient-protected mains extension to protect computers by varying the resistance with the applied voltage.
• Chip resistors are widely used in smartphones as a passive electronic component that limits the flow of direct current in a circuit. For example, smartphones can use up to 400 chip resistors, which are also used in other electronic devices such as laptops, tablets, and televisions. As smartphones become thinner and lighter, the demand for smaller and lighter chip resistors also increases. Tantalum capacitors are small, making them suitable for use in small-footprint applications like smartphones. According to Ericsson, the global number of smartphone mobile network subscriptions reached over 6.6 billion in 2022 and is expected to hit 7.8 billion by 2028. The countries with the most smartphone mobile network subscriptions are China, India, and the United States. Such a huge rise in smartphones would drive the market.
• Further, chip resistors, which are small and compact, are commonly used in computers and peripherals for various purposes, such as providing high precision and stability, protection, control, and operation of circuits. Chip resistors can be made from metal foil, metal oxide film, carbon composition, thick and thin film, or wire-wound resistors, among others. They are mainly designed to provide resistance and reduce the flow of electric current in circuits. Chip resistors are essential components in electronic circuits and are widely used in computers and other electronic peripherals.
• Players in the market are launching resistors specifically for consumer electronics. For instance, recently, Bourns Inc. announced the CFN metal foil current sense resistor series expansion. The addition of the two latest model sizes expands the series to four different footprints. The new 0402 and 0603 models complement the existing 0805 and 1206 sizes. The use of a metal foil resistive element in these chip resistors results in significantly low inductance, low noise, high reliability, and very low resistance values down to 5 milliohms, making them suitable for current sensing in consumer electronics.

Asia-Pacific Region is Expected to Witness Significant Growth

• According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, In August 2023, China sold a total of 846,000 new energy vehicles. Of these, 808,000 were passenger electric vehicles, with the remaining 39,000 designated for commercial use. Breaking down the passenger electric vehicle category further, sales figures stood at 559,000 for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and 248,000 for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).Such huge production of electric cars would create an opportunity for the studied market to grow.
• According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, In August 2023, China sold a total of 846,000 new energy vehicles. Of these, 808,000 were passenger electric vehicles, with the remaining 39,000 designated for commercial use. Breaking down the passenger electric vehicle category further, sales figures stood at 559,000 for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and 248,000 for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Such huge production of electric cars would create an opportunity for the studied market to grow.
• Moreover, chip resistors are widely used in the defense industry in various electronic applications such as radar systems, missile guidance systems, electronic warfare systems, and communications equipment. These resistors are designed to meet the challenging requirements of defense applications, such as high precision, reliability, and ruggedness. The defense industry in the region relies heavily on on-chip resistors, and many companies specialize in producing these components for the defense industry. Some examples of chip resistor manufacturers that serve the defense industry include IMS Resistors, Ohmcraft, and Spectrum Control. The upsurge in demand from the defense sector in the region is anticipated to boost the growth of the studied market.
• The trading of resistors in countries like India is witnessing an upsurge, especially with surging demand for current sense resistors. However, thin film and chip resistors currently have relatively lower demand in the Indian market. This trend indicates the lack of specialized electronic product manufacturing in the country that uses such resistors. However, most manufacturers still perceive that the future of resistor manufacturing lies in thick film and chip resistors.
• Moreover, the major manufacturer of the resistor has ceased taking orders as the raw material cost is spiking up. For instance, recently, Taiwan-based Ralec ceased taking new resistor orders. At the same time, Leatec Fine Ceramics, a maker of aluminum and ceramic substrates required for manufacturing chip resistors, is considering raising its prices in the wake of a recent 15% price hike enforced by its Chinese peer, Chaozhou Three-Circle Group.

Chip Resistors Industry Overview

The chip resistors market is moderately consolidated owing to the presence of large vendors like CTS Corporation, Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Panasonic Corporation, etc. in the global market. The key players are involved in various strategies, such as acquisitions and partnerships, to improve their market share and enhance their profitability in the market studied.

In January 2023, Bourns, Inc., a manufacturer and supplier of electronic components, added four new AEC-Q200-compliant product series to its line of high-power thick film resistors. The new Bourns CRM-Q, CRS-Q, CMP-Q, and CHP-Q Series are automotive-grade, with high-rated power and excellent pulse load surge capability. Using a thick film element printed onto a ceramic substrate improves the reliability of the four new resistor series.

In September 2022, TT Electronics introduced the TFHP series of thin films. These high-power chip resistors combine high power and high precision in a single resistor by leveraging an aluminum nitride (AIN) ceramic substrate with approximately six times the conductivity of alumina. This high-power-density component saves PCB area and can improve reliability by limiting the temperature rise in the component hotspot. The TFHP series of thin film high power chip resistors is tailored for precision power supply, power amplifier, and process control applications, which all benefit from this specialty design's increased heat transfer from element to terminal.

Chip Resistors Market Leaders

Chip Resistors Market News

• April 2023: YAGEO Group, a global passive component producer, introduced the VT Series of automotive-quality thin-film chip resistors. With high voltage, precision, and stability qualities, the product offers case sizes of 1206, full operating voltage obeying 1/4 W rated power, a resistance range of 162K-1.5M, tight tolerances of 0.1%, 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1%, and a low TCR of 10, 25, and 50 ppm/°C. The VT series is designed to provide exceptional stability and dependability under high operating voltage conditions. The VT series has better voltage endurance than other thin film products on the market due to the unique leaser trimming design.
• May 2022: Farnell, an Avnet brand and global distributor of electronic components, goods, and solutions, announced the launch of the latest Panasonic chip resistors, which provide users with high power operation in small packaging. This was an important addition to Farnell's passive component range, allowing clients to significantly expedite their new product development-to-market programmers while remaining confident in rapid and dependable sourcing.