Electronic specialty gases: Trading
Who sells chip gases and how helium is priced
What this tab covers How it is bought and sold: buyers and sellers, price benchmarks and who publishes them, exchanges, contract types, traders, how Indian buyers price it, recent price points, and good sources to follow.Who buys, and where
- Fabs in Taiwan (TSMC, PSMC, VIS), Korea (Samsung, SK hynix), China, Japan, the US and, from 2025-26, India (Micron Sanand)
- Display and solar cell makers (NF3, silane)
Who sells, and from where
- Air Liquide, Linde, Air Products, Nippon Sanso
- Specialists: SK Specialty, Hyosung, Kanto Denka, Resonac, Merck, Peric, Huate
Price benchmarks
| Benchmark | Publisher | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Helium Grade-A base price | USGS (annual estimate) | $/m3, annual |
| Chinese NF3 and rare gas prices | SMM and Chinese gas industry sites (indicative) | spot, CNY |
Exchanges
| Venue | Contract | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| None | no futures | all contract |
Contract types
- Multi-year supply agreements with qualification
- On-site build-own-operate contracts for bulk gases (15-20 years, indicative)
- Bulk specialty gas delivery and gas management services in the sub-fab
Traders and distributors
- Few; distribution is controlled by gas majors
How Indian buyers price it
- Imported at supplier list or contract prices; Semicon 2.0 incentives may support local filling, purification and on-site plants
Recent price points
| Date | Price | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | about $12/m3 ($330/Mcf) | Grade-A helium base price, US | USGS MCS 2026 |
| Jun 2026 | spot about double pre-conflict levels | helium, Asia | IUMI (Jun 2026) |
Good sources to follow
Semiconductor Digest (TECHCET market notes)free newsletter · Semiconductor Digestsemiconductor materials market forecasts
gasworldfreemium newsletter · industrial gas trade publisherindustrial and electronic gases, helium market
Smith market intelligencefree blog · Smith (electronic components distributor)supply-chain risk notes such as the 2026 helium shortage
IUMI newsletterfree newsletter · International Union of Marine Insurancecargo and supply disruptions, including the 2026 Qatari helium shortage