Jon Peddie Research today released its RISC-V Market Insights – The Q2 2026 Update, which examines RISC-V’s transition from emerging architecture to commercial platform. The story is no longer just about a free and flexible instruction set. RISC-V works. The harder question is who makes money from it. This quarter shows the value moving toward platforms, software support, AI systems, national silicon programs, and more strategic customer deals, alongside cheap core licenses.
“RISC-V has moved from technical curiosity to an unavoidable silicon option. The early risk was software, production silicon, and an ecosystem that made the free ISA quite expensive to use. That has changed first in embedded controllers and SoC housekeeping cores, where RISC-V already works. Now the fight moves to servers, AI, memory, and the ownership model,” said David Harold, JPR senior analyst. “RVA23, Ubuntu 26.04 LTS support, new server specs, and parts from SiFive, NextSilicon, and Akeana show real progress. Nvidia’s SiFive investment, sovereign AI programs, and M&A pressure continue to up the stakes. RISC-V is not inevitable yet, but it is now in the fight.”
Key findings in the Q2’26 update
- RISC-V moves into servers. Server Platform Specification 1.0, RVA23, and Ubuntu 26.04 LTS give software teams a stable target, while SiFive, NextSilicon, and Akeana push credible server-class silicon.
- AI changes the stakes. SiFive’s $400 million raise, Nvidia’s backing, and NVLink Fusion tie-ins point RISC-V toward high-end AI orchestration and coherent accelerator fabrics.
- Sovereignty drives adoption. Europe, China, and Saudi-backed efforts show governments want open silicon they can localize, control, and protect from export risk.
- Consolidation keeps building. Too many IP vendors still chase too few high-value sockets, so M&A, retrenchment, and strategic absorption remain likely.
The report connects the dots from customer demand to vendor strategy.
“The question around RISC-V has moved from whether it works to who will make money from it,” said Dr. Jon Peddie, president of JPR. “This quarter shows RISC-V moving into a more serious phase, with server standards, Linux support, AI infrastructure interest, and real money behind the leading players. The market is still crowded, and more consolidation is likely, but RISC-V is no longer an experiment at the edge. It is now part of the AI silicon, sovereignty, and platform conversation.”
Adds Harold, “RISC-V’s center of gravity has moved to production-grade platforms. If you are not showing up with standards support, firmware, verification collateral, software targets, packaging options, and a clear AI or infrastructure story, you are not aligned with the new market expectations for RISC-V. Maturity is now demanded.”
To learn more or to subscribe, visit www.jonpeddie.com.
JPR also publishes a series of reports on GPU quarterly shipments, CPU shipments, the graphics add-in board market, the workstation market, and the PC gaming hardware market. The latter covers the total market, including systems and accessories, and examines 31 countries.
Pricing and availability
JPR’s Q2’26 RISC-V Market Insights report is available now for $4,000 for four quarterly issues, which includes a half hour of telephone consulting time per quarter, or $2,500 for a single issue with telephone time. For information about this and other JPR reports, go to jonpeddie.com.
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