Hydrogen Chloride (HCl) — Electronic Grade Price Rises 30–50% as Import Dependence and Domestic Substitution Accelerate

The mArket forhigh-purity hydrogen chloride—a critical gas for epitaxial growth, polysilicon etching, and CVD chamber cleaning in semiconductor manufacturing—has tightened considerably in 2026, with electronic grade prices rising 30–50% from late 2024 levels.

Price Confirmation. As of April 2026, electronic grade (6N, 99.9999%) hydrogen chloride is trading at 120,000–150,000 RMB per ton—a substantial increase from the 80,000–100,000 RMB per ton range observed in late 2024.

Supply-Demand Imbalance. The price increase stems from structural factors. First, the Chinese high-purity HCl market remains heavily import-dependent, with the United States and Japan serving as primary suppliers. Second, domestic production capacity has been slow to come online, creating a persistent supply gap. Third, semiconductor wafer start volumes—which drive HCl consumption in epitaxial growth and etching applications—continue to expand across China, Taiwan, and Korea.

Market Growth. According to industry research, China's high-purity hydrogen chloride gas market has grown from approximately 168 million RMB in 2020 to approximately 877 million RMB in 2025, representing a staggering CAGR of 39.2% over the five-year period. The average market price for high-purity HCl in 2025 was approximately 124,000 RMB per ton.

Driver of Domestic Substitution. The rising prices and ongoing import dependency have accelerated efforts to localize high-purity HCl production within China. Multiple domestic producers have announced capacity expansion plans, aiming to meet the growing demand from China's rapidly expanding semiconductor fabrication base.

Applications Across Nodes. High-purity HCl (99.999%–99.9999%) is used across all process nodes. At advanced nodes, HCl is employed as an etchant and as a carrier gas. At mature nodes, it serves similar functions. Its applications across multiple chip categories make it a consistently high-volume electronic specialty gas.

Outlook. As China's semiconductor foundries continue to ramp capacity and new domestic HCl production facilities come online, the market is expected to gradually shift from import-dependent to self-sufficient. In the near term, however, tight supply conditions are expected to persist.

Sources: High-Purity Hydrogen Chloride Industry Report, April 2026; China High-Purity Hydrogen Chloride Market Research, 2025–2026; Industry Price Monitoring, April 2026