The RISC-V market was valued at USD 1,573.2 million in 2025 and is projected to surpass USD 40,466.9 million by 2035, indicating a robust CAGR of 38.8%.

RISC-V is an open-source instruction set architecture, and recently, it has become one of the most popular developments in the arena of computer architecture. RISC-V stands for Reduced Instruction Set Computing, and V illustrates the fifth version of the architecture. Unlike patented architectures like ARM and x86, RISC-V is an open-source architecture, meaning that any individual can deploy the architecture without requiring licensing fees. This is the structure that has driven increasing interest and consumption across diverse industries and thereby has made the architecture a key aspect in the developing landscape of computing.
At its core, an ISA defines the interface between hardware and software, depicting how a processor performs instructions. RISC-V is aligned to the principles of RISC, highlighting efficiency and simplicity in the execution of instructions. This simplicity enables easier design of chip, decreases complexity, and enables more upfront optimization of software and hardware interactions. This stands in dissimilarity to the architectures of Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC), which have more versatile and elaborate instructions, resulting in more complex designs of hardware.
One of the most significant strengths of RISC-V is its open nature. The ISA is driven by the RISC-V Foundation, a non-profit organization that supervises its evolution and development. The RISC-V Foundation maintains, owns, and publishes the RISC-V ISA, an open standard for the design of processors. The RISC-V Foundation was incorporated in 2015 and includes 200+ members from different verticals of the industry and academia.
Price-sensitive requirements in IoT design are aligning with the chip-sovereignty mandates, creating a strategic opportunity for vertically integrated companies in the RISC-V market. In addition, early commercialization of 128-bit processor core type, the expanding tool-chain standardization with the help of the RVA23 Profile, and the advent of ISO 26262 and ISO/SAE 21434 certified IP point to continued scalability in high-performance computing, industrial automation, and automotive sectors. The willingness of investors to invest capital in open-hardware startup organizations, as well as associations that pool patents or connect EDA suppliers with IP vendors, are further diminishing the barriers to entry and boosting convergence toward a more unified hardware and software stack.
Sovereign and customizable open-standard IP semiconductor programs across the US, China, and European Union and an expanding verification ecosystem are augmenting design wins, alleviating time-to-market, and attracting new market entrants. However, software complications from uneven ISA extensions, a shortage of lead EDA talent in mature nodes, and restricted backward compatibility compared to ARM are substantial restraints that could hamper the market adoption.
Expansion of AI/ML-based Edge Workloads Fuels the RISC-V Market Value
The rise of AI at the edge increasingly requires adaptive processors that balance response times with power efficiency. Companies in the RISC-V technology space are leveraging this trend by providing vector features that accelerate machine-learning tasks in surveillance devices, industrial sensing equipment, and automotive electronics. Efforts within China to build homegrown AI semiconductors further reinforce this momentum by reducing exposure to restrictions from Western countries. Concurrently, the open nature of the architecture fosters a growing ecosystem of IP suppliers, development-tool providers, and certification specialists. This extended community is shortening the timeline for developing domain-focused computing solutions and enabling fresh use cases in areas such as vehicle safety and smart manufacturing.
Increasing Demand for Customizable and Open-Source Architectures is Augmenting the RISC-V Market Revenue
The RISC-V open-standard ISA allows companies to design fully customized processors without the licensing restrictions brought about by proprietary architectures like ARM or x86. Thus, it reduces the overall development cost and vendor lock-in significantly. It allows them to integrate only what is needed, optimize power consumption, and make performance enhancements for specialized applications. Innovation cycles accelerate in verticals like automotive, consumer electronics, industrial IoT, and AI hardware; hence, RISC-V is an attractive base to build because doing so accelerates prototyping and delivers differentiated chip designs. This, in turn, is fostering greater adoption in the global movement toward open-source hardware ecosystems as companies look toward collaborative development, long-term architectural transparency, and more control over their silicon roadmaps.
Adoption of National Chip Sovereignty Programs Offers Significant RISC-V Market Opportunity
Billion-dollar government subsidy programs are reworking supply-chain priorities to favor domestic chip fabrication, intellectual property development, and advanced packaging, with policymakers positioning the RISC-V ecosystem as a cornerstone for technological sovereignty. Initiatives such as DARE and the Rhea platform from SiPearl underpin ambitions across the region to reduce reliance on foreign architectures and exposed supply chains. The US is following suit: CHIPS Act funding promotes open-architecture research that includes RISC-V implementations. Additionally, China's 14th Five-Year Plan is accelerating the deployment of native-designed processors in commercial markets.
Rising Complexities in Software Projected to Hamper RISC-V Market Growth
As the RISC-V architecture allows designers to add their own instructions, numerous chip makers have rolled out unique modifications that make consistent binaries and automated build workflows harder to maintain. Although the RVA23 Profile defines required capabilities for AI and machine-learning workloads, many optional components still exist, compelling operating-system developers to support several kernel builds and tool-chain configurations. Many enterprise technology leaders point to this fragmentation as a reason to retain parallel ARM strategies, slowing their transition toward broader adoption of RISC-V technologies.
The global market for RISC-V has been segmented into processor core type, application, end use, and region.
In terms of RISC-V market analysis, Asia-Pacific leads the market. The region combines large-scale semiconductor manufacturing capacity with aggressive government policy support and heavy adoption across consumer electronics and IoT devices. China, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and India have emerged over time as hotspots for chip design, fabrication, and packaging in general electronics production. Such a concentration of activity enables rapid prototyping, testing, and mass-manufacturing of RISC-V-based solutions at much lower cost. In particular, China has accelerated the adoption of RISC-V as part of its push for semiconductor self-sufficiency with demand from local startups, state-backed research programs, and large OEMs.

This region also creates most of the world's IoT devices, wearables, smart home products, and embedded systems. These are segments where low-cost, energy-efficient, and customizable features of RISC-V are in high demand. Government-driven initiatives, such as China's 14th Five-Year Plan, India's semiconductor mission, and different APAC national programs to reduce dependence on foreign IP, continue to reinforce the market momentum.
Put together, the mix of manufacturing power, policy support, and high production of consumer electronics makes Asia-Pacific the dominant factor in the global RISC-V market.
RISC-V companies profiled in the report include Alibaba Group Holding Limited (T-Head Semiconductor), Apex Semiconductor (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Andes Technology Corporation, SiFive, Inc., Codasip s.r.o, StarFive Technology Co., Ltd., Huawei Technology Co., Ltd., MipSoC Ltd., Rivos Inc., and Bluespec Inc.
| Parameter | Details |
| Size in 2025 | USD 1,573.2 Million |
| Forecast by 2035 | USD 40,466.9 Million |
| CAGR During 2026 – 2035 | 38.8% |
| Largest Processor Core Type Segment (% Share 2025) | 64-bit |
| Largest Region Size (2025) | Asi-Pacific - USD 693.8 Million |
| Fastest Growing Region (% CAGR) | Asia-Pacific– 40.1% |
| Key Players Covered | Alibaba Group Holding Limited (T-Head Semiconductor), Apex Semiconductor (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Andes Technology Corporation, SiFive, Inc., Codasip s.r.o, StarFive Technology Co., Ltd., Huawei Technology Co., Ltd., MipSoC Ltd., Rivos Inc., Bluespec Inc. |
Contact:
Mr. Richard Johnson
Acumen Research and Consulting
India: +91 8983225533