Investing in 5G Stocks

By Scott Levine – Updated Sep 9, 2025 at 1:14 PM | Fact-checked by Frank Bass

Key Points

Global 5G subscriptions are expected to reach 6.3 billion by 2030, affecting various tech sectors.
Investors should focus on companies that provide 5G infrastructure for better growth potential.
Top 5G stocks include Broadcom and Qualcomm, which are key players in 5G chip technology.

Rapid 5G mobile network construction will continue in 2025. According to mobile infrastructure provider Ericsson (ERIC -0.61%), global 5G subscriptions are expected to total about 2.9 billion at the end of 2025 and climb to a projected 6.3 billion (about 67% of all mobile subscriptions) in 2030.

Loading paragraph...

A graphic showing 3 major industries in 5g tech, including semiconductors, equipment & infrastructure, and real estate. — Image source: The Motley Fool.

This massive technology rollout will take years to complete. It will encompass wide swaths of the global economy since 5G network development will have substantial overlap with items ranging from automotive technology and industrial Internet of Things (IoT) to video games and virtual reality (part of the metaverse). Consumers and businesses will need to upgrade smartphones and other devices that can connect to 5G networks, making the upgrade cycle a top investment theme for 2025 and beyond.

Loading paragraph...

Best 5G chip companies

The basic building blocks for 5G are semiconductors -- the electronics that process data and execute commands in a computing system. These companies provide the chips that make 5G work. Top chip companies include:

Ticker Information Table
Name and ticker	Market cap	Dividend yield	Industry
Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO)	$1.7 trillion	0.66%	Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment
Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM)	$193.9 billion	1.94%	Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment
Marvell Technology (NASDAQ:MRVL)	$80.1 billion	0.26%	Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment
Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD)	$416.0 billion	0.00%	Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment
Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA)	$4.7 trillion	0.02%	Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment

Data as of Nov 6, 2025.

1. Broadcom

NASDAQ: AVGO

Broadcom

Today's Change

(2.00%) $7.04

Current Price

$358.98

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$1695B

Day's Range

$350.09 - $364.87

52wk Range

$138.10 - $386.48

Volume

49K

Avg Vol

23M

Gross Margin

63.13%

Dividend Yield

0.01%

Loading paragraph...

2. Qualcomm

NASDAQ: QCOM

Qualcomm

Today's Change

(3.98%) $6.88

Current Price

$179.72

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$194B

Day's Range

$174.32 - $183.43

52wk Range

$120.80 - $205.95

Volume

92K

Avg Vol

9.1M

Gross Margin

55.68%

Dividend Yield

0.02%

Qualcomm's (QCOM +3.98%) product portfolio includes chips that enable 5G technology. Qualcomm has profited from the smartphone boom since the early 2000s by focusing on the tech behind 3G and 4G mobile networks. However, 5G is broadening the mobile chip designer's horizons and is opening up opportunities in IoT devices and industrial equipment, new smartphones, cars, and even modems that make up the 5G network.

The smartphone industry has matured, and unit sales no longer reliably post double-digit percentage growth. However, the 5G device upgrade boom is lifting Qualcomm's sales higher again. In addition, the automotive market is providing another source of growth. The company's fiscal 2024 10-K states that "67% of new vehicles produced in 2030 are projected to have embedded cellular connectivity, with 48% of new vehicles featuring 5G connectivity compared to 11% of new vehicles featuring 5G connectivity in 2024." The company has ample cash on its balance sheet to drive innovation in hardware, and it has consistently paid a dividend for almost two decades.

Loading paragraph...

3. Marvell Technology Group

NASDAQ: MRVL

Marvell Technology

Today's Change

(6.06%) $5.31

Current Price

$92.90

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$80B

Day's Range

$88.14 - $95.39

52wk Range

$47.09 - $127.48

Volume

1.2M

Avg Vol

20M

Gross Margin

44.64%

Dividend Yield

0.00%

Marvell Technology Group (MRVL +6.06%) has long been a leader in developing data processing units (DPUs). Its chips are instrumental in moving large amounts of digital information in networking equipment and data centers. Since mobile networks are increasingly being used in enterprise applications, 5G has been a natural fit for Marvell’s portfolio of silicon.

To broaden its exposure to 5G, the cloud, and other business solutions, Marvell acquired Inphi and Innovium in 2021 and Tanzanite in 2022. The designers of fiber optics and network switching build on Marvell’s existing DPU technology. As 5G technology advances and network deployment increases in markets around the globe, Marvell has a clear path to fast growth for years to come.

Loading paragraph...

4. Advanced Micro Devices

NASDAQ: AMD

Advanced Micro Devices

Today's Change

(2.46%) $6.16

Current Price

$256.21

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$416B

Day's Range

$243.01 - $259.60

52wk Range

$76.48 - $267.08

Volume

3.6K

Avg Vol

60M

Gross Margin

44.33%

Dividend Yield

N/A

Loading paragraph...

5. Nvidia

NASDAQ: NVDA

Nvidia

Today's Change

(-1.75%) $-3.48

Current Price

$195.21

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$4744B

Day's Range

$194.65 - $202.92

52wk Range

$86.62 - $212.19

Volume

1.5M

Avg Vol

178M

Gross Margin

69.85%

Dividend Yield

0.00%

Loading paragraph...

View overlooking a large city that is lit up with a network of 5G ping points — Image source: Getty Images.

Best 5G equipment and infrastructure stocks

Beyond the basic chips needed to power 5G telecommunications, general equipment makers provide hardware that makes mobile networks possible. To reach businesses and consumers, wireless 5G signals need extensive equipment. These companies have had supply chain issues in recent years that have pressured growth rates and profit margins. However, they remain solid investments since they enable the construction of wireless networks and supporting infrastructure around the world.

Ticker Information Table
Name and ticker	Market cap	Dividend yield	Industry
Corning (NYSE:GLW)	$74.7 billion	1.29%	Electronic Equipment, Instruments and Components
Ciena (NYSE:CIEN)	$27.6 billion	0.00%	Communications Equipment
Arista Networks (NYSE:ANET)	$176.5 billion	0.00%	Communications Equipment

Data as of Nov 6, 2025.

1. Corning

NYSE: GLW

Corning

Today's Change

(2.22%) $1.89

Current Price

$87.10

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$75B

Day's Range

$85.50 - $88.12

52wk Range

$37.31 - $92.57

Volume

5.5K

Avg Vol

7.6M

Gross Margin

34.72%

Dividend Yield

0.01%

Before it gets turned into a high-speed Wi-Fi signal, 5G data needs to travel along the wired portion of the internet, just like other electronic data. That’s where fiber-optic cable comes in, and Corning (GLW +2.22%) -- the legacy glass and ceramics manufacturer -- is a major supplier. Even as they deploy new radio towers, many telecoms providing 5G service also need to add more high-speed cable to their networks.

Corning also builds small cell antennas and accompanying software -- core components of 5G systems used in office buildings and venues such as sports arenas to deploy wireless signals. Corning has been around for a long time, but it has a long history of paying a rising dividend to its shareholders.

Loading paragraph...

2. Ciena

NYSE: CIEN

Ciena

Today's Change

(7.08%) $12.94

Current Price

$195.81

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$28B

Day's Range

$182.49 - $196.99

52wk Range

$49.21 - $196.99

Volume

834

Avg Vol

2.5M

Gross Margin

38.76%

Dividend Yield

N/A

Loading paragraph...

NYSE: ANET

Arista Networks

Today's Change

(-8.44%) $-12.96

Current Price

$140.59

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$176B

Day's Range

$140.11 - $147.89

52wk Range

$59.43 - $164.94

Volume

331

Avg Vol

8.7M

Gross Margin

64.92%

Dividend Yield

N/A

Data center and internet infrastructure company Arista Networks (ANET -8.44%) is an often-overlooked 5G stock. Because 5G carries massive amounts of data -- enabling ultra-high-definition video streaming or communications for network-connected vehicles -- data centers will play an increasingly important role in mobile network management.

Arista is a top equipment provider for data centers and internet infrastructure, with open-source hardware and network management and cybersecurity tools. Arista is well positioned to benefit from the accompanying boom in cloud computing services as 5G further increases the capabilities of mobile devices.

Loading paragraph...

Image of model home on a desk with visual representation of smart home automations. — Image source: Getty Images.

Best 5G real estate investments

5G also requires real estate. Towers and other fixed assets are needed to broadcast 5G signals, and real estate investment trusts (REITs), such as American Tower, Crown Castle, and Digital Realty Trust, are some of the largest players in the sector. Besides slower but steady growth, the REITs are also top income-generating investments in the 5G space.

Ticker Information Table
Name and ticker	Market cap	Dividend yield	Industry
American Tower (NYSE:AMT)	$84.0 billion	3.75%	Specialized REITs
Crown Castle (NYSE:CCI)	$39.1 billion	5.85%	Specialized REITs
Digital Realty Trust (NYSE:DLR)	$57.2 billion	2.93%	Specialized REITs

Data as of Nov 6, 2025.

Loading ticker_table...

1. American Tower

NYSE: AMT

American Tower

Today's Change

(-0.51%) $-0.92

Current Price

$179.43

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$84B

Day's Range

$178.72 - $182.03

52wk Range

$172.51 - $234.33

Volume

Avg Vol

2.9M

Gross Margin

54.90%

Dividend Yield

0.04%

Loading company_card...

Operating a portfolio of nearly 148,000 communications sites worldwide, American Tower (AMT -0.51%) is one of the largest REITs and is a top real estate company in tech. It concerns itself primarily with the land, buildings, and cell tower sites crucial to the function of both mobile networks and internet infrastructure. It also establishes fiber-optic networks that connect 5G small cell sites to the rest of the internet, which is a critical service for mobile network operators as more consumers and businesses rely on a mobile service for their internet use.

2. Crown Castle

Loading paragraph...

NYSE: CCI

Crown Castle

Today's Change

(-0.54%) $-0.49

Current Price

$89.83

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$39B

Day's Range

$89.28 - $90.59

52wk Range

$84.20 - $115.76

Volume

Avg Vol

3.3M

Gross Margin

53.78%

Dividend Yield

0.06%

Loading company_card...

Crown Castle (CCI -0.54%) is much smaller than American Tower, but it is a leading North American communications infrastructure property manager. It operates more than 40,000 cell towers and has about 90,000 miles of fiber, including a fast-growing portfolio of small cell nodes for 5G deployment. Although there are industries growing faster than real estate, Crown Castle offers its shareholders the potential for income and growth as the 5G industry develops.

3. Digital Realty Trust

Loading paragraph...

NYSE: DLR

Digital Realty Trust

Today's Change

(-1.04%) $-1.75

Current Price

$166.52

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$57B

Day's Range

$166.43 - $168.94

52wk Range

$129.95 - $198.00

Volume

Avg Vol

1.6M

Gross Margin

23.97%

Dividend Yield

0.03%

Digital Realty Trust (DLR -1.04%) is a top developer and acquirer of data centers, the basic computing units of the cloud computing industry. However, since there is an overlap between cloud services and 5G, it’s noteworthy that Digital Realty’s clients include telecommunications companies that are building the physical assets to make 5G possible.

Although their investments are primarily designed to generate income, all three REITs have seen share prices significantly increase over the past decade. As mobility becomes increasingly important around the globe and data volume continues to swell, the demand for American Tower, Crown Castle, and Digital Realty Trust real estate assets will increase.

Loading paragraph...

Invest in 5G for the long term

While previous telecom network upgrades enabled the smartphone and mobility booms, 5G technology entrenches digital technology even more into daily life. It overlaps with cloud computing, given that so many people now work from home. 5G is also unlocking new forms of entertainment, such as ultra-high-definition video, video game streaming, and virtual reality. Investors who are patient throughout the lengthy course of 5G’s deployment (a decade or more) could enjoy attractive long-term returns.

About the Author

Scott Levine is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering energy, industrials, technology, and materials. He is also a high school English teacher and a small business owner. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing from Binghamton University, a master’s degree in secondary education from Adelphi University, and an advanced certificate in school building leadership from CUNY Queens College. A crossword puzzle enthusiast, he has solved more than 3,100 New York Times puzzles with a 97% solve rate.

TMFProudMonkey

@TMFProudMonkey

Scott Levine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, American Tower, Arista Networks, Crown Castle, Digital Realty Trust, Nvidia, and Qualcomm. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom, Corning, Marvell Technology, T-Mobile US, and Verizon Communications and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $180 calls on American Tower and short January 2026 $185 calls on American Tower. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.