Rapid 5G mobile network construction will continue in 2025. According to mobile infrastructure provider Ericsson (ERIC +0.84%), 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.
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.
The top 5G stocks to buy in 2025
5G is the fifth generation of wireless networking technology. It offers lower latency (the time between an input or request for data and the network’s response). 5G also boasts download speeds as much as 100 times faster than 4G. Mobile providers such as T-Mobile (TMUS -0.44%) and rivals Verizon (VZ -1.23%) and AT&T (T -0.42%) are all great options for investing in 5G. However, investors wanting higher-growth exposure to 5G should focus on companies providing infrastructure, equipment, and technology.
Semiconductor companies, manufacturers of mobile tech equipment and infrastructure, and real estate asset holders are some of the best-positioned stocks to benefit from the proliferation of 5G.
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:
| Name and ticker | Market cap | Dividend yield | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) | $1.6 trillion | 0.68% | Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment |
| Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) | $180.2 billion | 2.08% | Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment |
| Marvell Technology (NASDAQ:MRVL) | $74.0 billion | 0.28% | Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment |
| Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) | $390.4 billion | 0.00% | Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment |
| Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) | $4.4 trillion | 0.02% | Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment |
1. Broadcom
NASDAQ: AVGO
Key Data Points
Chip design giant Broadcom (AVGO -1.83%) is a top name in 5G. Its circuitry designs can be found across the mobile network ecosystem. Included in this list of equipment are base stations that create wireless signals and network infrastructure that serves as the backbone of the internet. Broadcom also designs parts that connect smartphones and other devices to a wireless signal.
In recent years, Broadcom has made several acquisitions to add infrastructure management software to its operations. The segment assists customers with monitoring and securing their networks and cloud computing assets. This has boosted the company’s profit margins since the software is often packaged with network hardware. Broadcom’s free cash flow profit margin was an incredible 38% for fiscal 2024, and in the first quarter of fiscal 2025, Broadcom reported $6 billion in free cash flow, a 28% year-over-year increase.
A serial acquirer, Broadcom acquired cloud and networking hardware giant VMware in 2023 for $69 billion -- one of the largest acquisitions so far this decade. This resulted in the creation of a powerhouse in networking component design, ranging from cloud computing to 5G to infrastructure management software.
2. Qualcomm
NASDAQ: QCOM
Key Data Points
Qualcomm's (QCOM +1.10%) 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.
3. Marvell Technology Group
NASDAQ: MRVL
Key Data Points
Marvell Technology Group (MRVL -1.84%) 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.
4. Advanced Micro Devices
NASDAQ: AMD
Key Data Points
5. Nvidia
NASDAQ: NVDA
Key Data Points
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.
1. Corning
2. Ciena
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.
1. American Tower
Related investing topics
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.
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