The monitor panel market in 2025 witnessed an unprecedented operational rhythm: brand-side players accelerated panel stockpiling in response to challenges posed by North American tax policies, and the market later cooled down with purchases gradually returning to rationality. Entering the new year, according to research by AVC Revo, upstream panel manufacturers have rolled out their initial supply plans for 2026. Here are the projected trends that will shape the monitor panel supply landscape in 2026:

Trend 1: A stock market with a further slowdown in overall growth

The end-market for monitors saw a flat performance in 2025, while the panel market fared slightly better with an expected year-on-year (YoY) growth of 1.7%, driven by brands’ advance stockpiling for overseas markets and active procurement to support sales under domestic subsidy policies. Looking ahead to 2026, overseas market demand is in a moderate recovery phase, and the domestic market, which has maintained a high level over the past two years, will face significant growth headwinds, leading to constrained end-market expansion. This will result in weak procurement momentum for the upstream panel market, with the total panel shipment volume (including OLED) projected to register a mere 0.4% YoY growth in 2026.

2021-2026F MNT Panel Shipment Volume and YoY Growth

Data Source: AVC Revo Unit: Million pieces, %
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Trend 2: The supply pattern continues to concentrate on Chinese mainland makers, with their market share expected to hit 70%

Upstream panel manufacturers have adopted divergent shipment strategies in their supply planning. South Korean players LGD and SDC are focusing more on the OLED market, with LGD planning to curtail its LCD panel shipments in 2026. Taiwanese panel makers AUO and Innolux have laid out stable MNT panel shipment plans for 2026; as they prioritize high-profit products, their MNT panel capacity supply remains relatively constrained, with a focus on differentiated offerings. Chinese mainland panel makers have sustained growth in production capacity and shipment volume over the past two years. In 2026, driven by the ramp-up of CSOT T11 and HKC H4 production lines, their shipments are expected to rise further. BOE’s MNT panel production capacity is assigned a low priority, yet the company still has modest momentum for supply growth. Tianma is making strategic adjustments to its MNT panel supply: while it will continue to accelerate product development in 2026, it will shift to conservative growth in shipment volume. Under such differentiated strategies, the market share of Chinese mainland panel makers is expected to expand from 68% in 2025 to 70% in 2026.

2021-2026F MNT Panel Supply Pattern by Market Share

Data Source: AVC Revo Unit: %
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Trend 3: Upgrades to traditional parameters are still expected to inject impetus into the growth of niche markets

Over the past two years, the monitor end-market has experienced a phase of "parameter upgrades alongside price declines". Against the backdrop of a relatively weak consumption environment, upstream and downstream players are pinning their hopes on product upgrades to continue attracting end consumers. As a result, traditional panel-related parameters are being continuously upgraded, with upstream manufacturers significantly accelerating the iteration of refresh rates and resolutions. Shipment volumes of 144Hz refresh rate panels are on the rise in the commercial market, while 180Hz products have become the entry-level standard for the gaming market. Panel makers are also building a more comprehensive portfolio of high-refresh rate products at 200Hz and 240Hz. The penetration rate of QHD and higher resolution panels is steadily increasing in both office and gaming scenarios. Thus, despite the slowdown in the overall industry growth, shipments in niche markets still boast significant growth momentum.

Trend 4: The OLED market will see accelerated penetration, with Chinese mainland makers joining the supply chain

Technologically, the shipment growth rate of OLED monitor panels is continuing to pick up, with shipments projected to reach 3.2 million units in 2025 and an expected 5.3 million units in 2026. On the back of a rich product portfolio of OLED panels in 2025, prices have declined, and the end-market has further pushed down the pricing of OLED products. In 2026, based on this trend, OLED and MiniLED products are expected to see intensified competition in the mid-range market. In addition, Chinese mainland makers are gradually entering the fray: CSOT’s IJP OLED (from T12) and BOE’s WOLED (from B5) will realize small-batch supply.

2021-2026F MNT Panel Shipment Forecast by Niche Market

Data Source: AVC Revo Unit: Million pieces
https://www.perfectdisplay.com/34-fast-va-wqhd-165hz-ultrawide-gaming-monitor-product/
https://www.perfectdisplay.com/27-inch-dual-mode-display-4k-240hz-fhd-480hz-product/
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Trend 5: Fierce product competition drives upgrades from meticulous layout to in-depth high-performance R&D

Upstream panel manufacturers have completed the basic optimization of high-refresh rate and high-resolution panels, and now they are all striving for breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies. High-end monitor products featuring ultra-high refresh rates of over 500Hz, ultra-high definition (6K/8K) displays and multi-screen collaboration are emerging one after another. Dual-mode monitors achieved rapid growth in 2025; in 2026, panel makers will carry out more meticulous product category segmentation and market positioning for dual-mode panels based on existing offerings, and conduct in-depth adaptation for scenarios such as gaming and professional content creation.

Trend 6: Controllable and concentrated supply will strengthen panel makers’ bargaining power

Mainstream panel prices rose in the first half of 2025 and remained flat in the second half. Despite weakening demand, the market maintained a supply-demand balance thanks to controllable production capacity and the low priority assigned to monitor panel production at the supply end. Building on 2025, the panel supply pattern will become even more concentrated in 2026. Moreover, as panel costs rise, monitor panel makers are gradually aligning their operational strategies with those for TV panels, with stronger profit demands. This is expected to lead to coordinated strategies among players in the competitive landscape, boosting panel makers’ bargaining power and thereby improving the profitability of their monitor panel businesses.