Top MLCC Manufacturers in 2026 and How Their Part Numbers Compare

Multilayer ceramic capacitors are the highest-volume electronic component on earth. A smartphone uses around a thousand, an EV several thousand, and an AI server rack hundreds of thousands. Yet a handful of companies make most of them, and each writes the same capacitor in a completely different part-number language.

This guide ranks the leading MLCC makers in 2026, explains what each is known for, and decodes how nine brands write the same 100 nF, 0603, X7R, 50 V capacitor. Buyers can use it to cross-reference with confidence, and engineers can use it to read any MLCC part number on a BOM.

Quick Answer

1. The top five: Murata, Samsung Electro-Mechanics (SEMCO), Taiyo Yuden, TDK and Yageo (including KEMET). Together they hold roughly 70–80% of global MLCC revenue.
2. Murata leads with an estimated 33–40% share; Murata itself says it supplies about 40% of the world's MLCCs. SEMCO is second at roughly 20–24%.
3. Taiyo Yuden, TDK and Yageo each hold an estimated 8–12%.
4. Second tier: KYOCERA AVX, Walsin Technology, Vishay, Samwha, and mainland Chinese makers (Three-Circle/CCTC, Fenghua, Eyang, Yuyang). Mainland Chinese makers together held about 10% of global value in 2025.
5. The same part, nine names: GRM188R71H104KA93D (Murata) = CL10B104KB8NNNC (Samsung) = C1608X7R1H104K080AA (TDK) = UMK107B7104KA-T (Taiyo Yuden) = CC0603KRX7R9BB104 (Yageo), and more.

Market share figures are analyst estimates and vary by source and methodology (revenue vs units, inclusion of specialty products). Treat them as ranges, not exact figures.

Top MLCC Manufacturers Ranked

1. Murata Manufacturing

Murata is the clear market leader. It has the deepest catalog, from 008004 (0.25 × 0.125 mm) parts to high-voltage and automotive MLCCs, and the strongest position in high-CV and miniature sizes. Its GRM series is the default reference part on many designs. GCM is its automotive line; GCJ adds soft termination for board-flex resistance. Murata announced roughly ¥80 billion of additional MLCC capital spending across FY2026 and FY2027, driven in part by AI-server demand.

Octatronics: Murata products

2. Samsung Electro-Mechanics (SEMCO)

SEMCO is the strongest challenger to Murata, especially in high-capacitance and mobile MLCCs, and it has been growing its automotive business quickly. It posted record 2025 revenue of about KRW 11.3 trillion. Its CL series is widely stocked and is often the first alternate considered for Murata GRM parts.

3. Taiyo Yuden

Taiyo Yuden is known for high-capacitance MLCCs and a strong position in automotive and industrial markets. Its part numbers start with a voltage letter (U = 50 V, T = 25 V, E = 16 V and so on), followed by "MK" and the size, which makes them easy to spot.

4. TDK

TDK, which also owns the EPCOS brand, is strong in automotive (CGA series), high-voltage and soft-termination MLCCs. TDK part numbers use full metric sizes (C1608 = 0603 inch) and are among the most self-explanatory.

Octatronics: TDK products

5. Yageo (including KEMET)

Yageo is one of the world's largest chip resistor makers and a top-five MLCC supplier. The KEMET acquisition added specialty and high-reliability MLCCs, tantalum and film capacitors. Yageo now covers chip resistors, MLCCs, tantalum capacitors and inductors, which allows bundled supply agreements. It reported record 2025 revenue of about NT$132.9 billion. Its CC series is a common cost-effective alternative to Murata and Samsung; AC is the automotive line.

Second tier and Chinese makers

1. KYOCERA AVX: high-reliability, RF and specialty MLCCs; strong in aerospace, medical and industrial.
2. Walsin Technology: Taiwanese, cost-competitive general-purpose MLCCs. MLCCs made up about 46% of its revenue in early 2026.
3. Vishay: VJ series MLCCs, with strength in high-voltage and high-reliability parts.
4. Mainland China (Three-Circle/CCTC, Fenghua, Eyang, Yuyang): about 10% of global value combined, concentrated in commodity sizes and grades. China consumes roughly 40% of global MLCC output, so domestic substitution is growing. Check customer approval before using these brands in regulated or automotive builds.

Market Trends Shaping MLCC Supply in 2026

One Capacitor, Nine Part Numbers

Here is how leading brands write the same 100 nF, ±10%, 0603 (1608 metric), X7R, 50 V MLCC:

How each brand encodes the key fields

Voltage codes compared

Getting the voltage wrong is the most common cross-reference error, because every brand uses a different code.

Confirm codes against each manufacturer's current part-numbering guide; some brands use additional codes for special voltages.

Size codes compared

The trap: "0603" means 0.6 × 0.3 mm in metric (TDK) but 1.6 × 0.8 mm in inch (Yageo, KEMET, AVX). Always confirm whether a size code is metric or inch.

For deeper decoding of Yageo codes, see our Yageo part number decoder. Our CC0603KRX7R9BB104 guide covers this exact cross-reference with DC bias data.

Is a Cross-Reference Really Equivalent?

Matching value, size, dielectric, voltage and tolerance gets you a footprint-compatible part. It doesn't guarantee identical performance:

Substitution Guidance by Brand Tier

Sourcing Notes

1. Dual-source common values early. For 100 nF and 1 µF decoupling parts, approving two or three brands avoids line-down risk during allocation.
2. Watch high-CV and automotive parts. These tighten first when AI-server or EV demand spikes.
3. Quote the full part number. Packaging suffixes (reel size, paper or embossed tape) differ by brand and affect pick-and-place setup.

Octatronics stocks MLCCs from all major brands. Browse our ceramic capacitor category, or see example listings for Yageo CC0603KRX7R9BB104, Samsung CL10B104KB8NNNC, KEMET C0603C104K5RACTU and Vishay VJ0603Y104KXACW1BC.

Request a quote with your MLCC BOM, and we'll propose approved cross-references across brands.

Key Takeaways

1. Murata (~33–40%) and SEMCO (~20–24%) lead the MLCC market; Taiyo Yuden, TDK and Yageo follow at roughly 8–12% each.
2. Mainland Chinese makers hold about 10% of global value and are growing in commodity parts.
3. Every brand encodes size, dielectric and voltage differently. The voltage code is the most common cross-reference error.
4. Matching the headline specs gives a footprint-compatible part, but check DC bias, thickness, qualification and the AVL.
5. AI servers and EVs are driving demand; high-CV and automotive MLCCs tighten first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the largest MLCC manufacturer?

Murata Manufacturing, with an estimated 33–40% of global MLCC revenue. Murata itself states it supplies about 40% of the world's MLCCs.

What is the Samsung equivalent of GRM188R71H104KA93D?

CL10B104KB8NNNC: 100 nF, ±10%, 0603, X7R, 50 V. Check the DC bias curve and thickness for your application.

Are Yageo MLCCs as good as Murata?

For general-purpose decoupling and filtering, Yageo CC parts with matched specs are widely used as alternates. For high-CV, ultra-small or specialty parts, compare DC bias and reliability data for the specific parts.

Can I use Chinese MLCC brands?

For many commercial designs, yes, if specs match and the parts come through traceable channels. For automotive, medical or regulated products, check the customer's approved vendor list and qualification requirements first.

Why do MLCC part numbers differ so much between brands?

Each manufacturer created its own coding system. Murata and TDK use EIA-style voltage codes (1H = 50 V), Yageo and KEMET use single digits, Samsung uses letters, and Taiyo Yuden puts the voltage letter at the start.

What is the automotive version of Murata GRM?

GCM is Murata's AEC-Q200 automotive MLCC series; GCJ is its soft-termination automotive series.