5G stocks provide exposure to companies that develop, manufacture, or provide the infrastructure, equipment, software, and services necessary for fifth-generation (5G) wireless technology networks. Rapid 5G mobile network construction will continue in 2026.
According to mobile infrastructure provider Ericsson (ERIC +0.87%), 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. And 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), it will encompass wide swaths of the global economy.
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 2026
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) and boasts download speeds as much as 100 times faster than 4G.
Mobile providers, such as T-Mobile (TMUS +2.25%) and rivals Verizon (VZ -0.93%) and AT&T (T -0.40%), 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 stocks
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 | Current price | Market cap | Dividend yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) | $324.99 | $1.6 trillion | 0.73% |
| Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) | $140.58 | $147.7 billion | 2.54% |
| Marvell Technology (NASDAQ:MRVL) | $78.51 | $66.3 billion | 0.31% |
| Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) | $207.19 | $335.8 billion | 0.00% |
| Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) | $182.81 | $4.5 trillion | 0.02% |
1. Broadcom
NASDAQ: AVGO
Key Data Points
Chip design giant Broadcom (AVGO -1.87%) 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, as the software is often packaged with network hardware. Broadcom's free-cash-flow generation is incredible. Through the first three quarters of fiscal 2025, Broadcom reported $19.4 billion in free cash flow, a 40% increase over the same period in fiscal 2024.
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
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NASDAQ: MRVL
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Marvell Technology Group (MRVL +0.36%) 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
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Advanced Micro Devices (AMD +0.61%) makes this list due to its early 2022 acquisition of Xilinx -- the industry leader in field-programmable gate array (FPGA) chips. FPGA chips can be reprogrammed and reconfigured at the hardware level even after they've been built. As new hardware is developed for 5G, the adaptability of FPGA chips makes them ideal for building the basic equipment to deploy 5G technology.
The merger gives AMD access to a best-in-class research and development (R&D) department. Xilinx will also improve AMD's profitability since Xilinx's profit margins are far higher than those of some of the traditional AMD chips used in personal computers and data centers.
AMD remains at the forefront of 5G technology with its ZynUltraScale+ RFSoC (Radio Frequency System-on-Chip), which the company lauds for its ability to enable "a flexible solution that is high performance, power-efficient, and cost-effective."
5. Nvidia
NASDAQ: NVDA
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Nvidia (NVDA -2.21%) pioneered the graphics processing unit (GPU), which is most commonly used in high-end video games. However, GPUs are also being used for other applications, such as artificial intelligence (AI), self-driving car development, and 5G.
5G networks enable faster download speeds and can handle higher traffic and intelligently route network signals where they're most needed. So, high-end GPUs are ideal for this task. Nvidia's GPUs are being used by telecom companies and equipment makers, and 5G deployment is likely to increase the need for GPUs to operate cloud-based video games streamed over networks.
In late 2024, for example, Nvidia and Verizon announced that they had collaborated to develop a solution that makes it possible for various AI applications to run over Verizon's 5G private network with private Mobile Edge Compute. Already a huge enterprise, Nvidia is finding a potentially gigantic new market in 5G.
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.
| Name and ticker | Current price | Market cap | Dividend yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corning (NYSE:GLW) | $133.45 | $112.7 billion | 0.85% |
| Ciena (NYSE:CIEN) | $303.77 | $41.3 billion | 0.00% |
| Arista Networks (NYSE:ANET) | $141.45 | $170.2 billion | 0.00% |
1. Corning
NYSE: GLW
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Before it gets turned into a high-speed Wi-Fi signal, 5G data must travel along the wired portion of the internet, just like other electronic data. That's where fiber-optic cable comes in, and Corning (GLW +1.48%), 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.
2. Ciena
NYSE: CIEN
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NYSE: ANET
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Data center and internet infrastructure company Arista Networks (ANET +4.68%) 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.
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.
| Name and ticker | Current price | Market cap | Dividend yield |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Tower (NYSE:AMT) | $191.99 | $88.1 billion | 3.61% |
| Crown Castle (NYSE:CCI) | $90.38 | $38.2 billion | 5.41% |
| Digital Realty Trust (NYSE:DLR) | $180.97 | $61.9 billion | 2.71% |
1. American Tower
NYSE: AMT
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Operating a portfolio of almost 149,000 communications sites worldwide, American Tower (AMT +2.02%) is one of the largest REITs and 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.
American Tower also establishes fiber-optic networks that connect 5G small cell sites to the rest of the internet. This 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
NYSE: CCI
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NYSE: DLR
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Digital Realty Trust (DLR +0.37%) 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.
How to invest in 5G stocks
Investing in 5G stocks is simple. The following steps will walk you through it:
- Open your brokerage app: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
- Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
- Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
- Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
- Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
- Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly
How to build a 5G investment portfolio
For those interested in crafting a 5G-focused niche of their portfolios, a good approach is to pick up shares of companies with diverse exposure to the industry.
Starting off with a leading semiconductor stock such as Broadcom or Qualcomm is a great way to begin building 5G exposure. Identifying a leading mobile provider is a great next step, which would lead investors to buy either Verizon stock or shares of AT&T, for example.
After that, investors will want to add an equipment or infrastructure stock. There are several routes to take, but some smart pickups might include Corning, Ciena, or Arista. To complement these selections, a communications REIT -- like American Tower, Crown Castle, or Digital Realty -- is a smart choice to round out the 5G exposure.
Of course, if selecting all these individual stocks seems too laborious, investors could always consider a communications exchange-traded fund (ETF). Packed with leading telecom stocks, the Vanguard Communication Services ETF (VOX -0.21%) is a great choice. In early December 2025, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile were among the ETF's top eight holdings.
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 5 G's deployment may enjoy attractive long-term returns.
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