The Ministry of Finance said Thursday that Taiwan’s September exports reached US$87.22 billion, a 60.9 percent jump from a year earlier, extending a 35-month winning streak as artificial-intelligence hardware orders kept fabs and assemblers running near capacity.
Within the electronics ledger, dynamic random-access memory stood out. Trade analysts highlighting the ministry’s product tables noted that DRAM shipment values surged about 286 percent year-on-year in September, far faster than the 46.1 percent gain posted by integrated circuits overall. The gap reflects both contract price spikes for server memory and aggressive restocking ahead of new AI accelerator platforms, according to economists who track Taiwan’s customs releases.
Where the growth landed
Information, communications and audio-video products more than doubled in value from the prior September, the ministry said, with graphics cards, servers, storage arrays and networking gear each posting triple-digit gains. Electronic components rose 45.3 percent to US$31.13 billion, the second-highest monthly total on record. Department of Statistics Director-General Beatrice Tsai told reporters that AI applications and inventory builds for refreshed consumer devices explained much of the component strength.
Exports to the United States jumped 106.2 percent to US$27.5 billion, widening Washington’s lead as Taiwan’s largest market. Shipments to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations hit a record US$18.9 billion, up 93.4 percent, as contract manufacturers routed more server and networking kits through regional hubs. Tsai said the United States and ASEAN together accounted for roughly seven-tenths of the month’s incremental export growth.
Memory versus logic
While Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and other logic foundries dominate headlines, September’s customs tables show memory suppliers capturing a disproportionate share of the year-on-year swing. DRAM’s 286 percent value increase arrived alongside reports of tight supply for high-bandwidth modules used in AI racks, even as some logic customers paused orders ahead of the Double Ten long weekend.
Non-electronic exports also improved, rising 22.4 percent in September—the largest increase for traditional industries in nearly five years outside Lunar New Year distortions. Petrochemical and machinery lines benefited from higher oil-linked prices and semiconductor equipment demand, Tsai said.
Outlook into the fourth quarter
Tsai projected October exports would rise 40 to 44 percent year-on-year, with shipment values between about US$85.2 billion and US$87.7 billion. She said cumulative exports through September already reached US$661.55 billion, surpassing 2025’s full-year total of US$640.69 billion with a quarter still to run.
Cloud providers and governments accelerating AI infrastructure spending should keep semiconductor and server supply chains busy, the ministry said, even as global trade policy and Middle East energy shocks inject macro uncertainty. For Taiwan’s memory fabs, the September print suggests pricing power may linger into year-end stocking season—provided holiday factory schedules do not stretch lead times further.