Global Short-read Sequencing Market Analysis: 2025–2036
Market Overview
The global Short-read Sequencing (SRS) Market is entering a phase of high-velocity evolution. Valued at approximately USD 8.42 Billion in 2025, the market is projected to reach an estimated USD 38.65 Billion by 2036, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.9% during the forecast period.
Short-read sequencing remains the "gold standard" for high-throughput genomic analysis, characterized by its unparalleled accuracy and cost-efficiency per base. While long-read technologies are gaining traction for structural variation, SRS continues to dominate the fields of oncology, NIPT (Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing), and population-scale genomics due to its massive data output and mature bioinformatics pipelines.
Market Segmentation
To provide a granular view of the industry, the market is categorized as follows:
1. By Component
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Instruments: High-throughput, mid-throughput, and benchtop sequencers.
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Consumables: Reagents, flow cells, and library preparation kits (the largest revenue contributor).
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Services: Clinical diagnostics, data interpretation, and outsourced research.
2. By Technology
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Sequencing by Synthesis (SBS): Dominant technology platform.
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Ion Semiconductor Sequencing: Known for rapid turnaround times.
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DNA Nanoball Sequencing (DNBSeq): Gaining market share via cost-disruption.
3. By Application
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Oncology: Liquid biopsy, tumor profiling, and MRD (Minimal Residual Disease) monitoring.
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Reproductive Health: NIPT and pre-implantation genetic testing.
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Infectious Diseases: Pathogen surveillance and antimicrobial resistance tracking.
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Agrigenomics: Crop improvement and livestock breeding.
4. By End-User
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Academic & Research Institutes
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Hospitals & Diagnostic Laboratories
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Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies
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Contract Research Organizations (CROs)
Top Key Players
The competitive landscape is characterized by heavy R&D investment and strategic mergers. Key players include:
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Illumina, Inc. (Market leader in SBS technology)
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Thermo Fisher Scientific (Ion Torrent platform)
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BGI Group / MGI Tech (DNBSeq technology)
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F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.
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Agilent Technologies, Inc.
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Qiagen N.V.
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Eurofins Scientific
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PerkinElmer, Inc.
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10x Genomics (Specializing in single-cell SRS applications)
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Macrogen, Inc.
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GenScript Biotech Corporation
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Azenta Life Sciences (formerly GENEWIZ)
Regional Analysis
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North America: Holds the largest market share (~42%) due to high healthcare expenditure, presence of key players, and robust reimbursement frameworks for genomic testing.
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Europe: Driven by large-scale national genomic initiatives (e.g., UK Biobank, Genome Germany) and increasing oncology research.
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Asia-Pacific: The fastest-growing region. Growth is fueled by China’s massive sequencing capacity, India’s expanding biotech sector, and supportive government policies for precision medicine.
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Rest of the World (LAMEA): Gradual growth driven by the need for infectious disease monitoring and improving diagnostic infrastructure in Brazil and South Africa.
Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
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Bargaining Power of Buyers (Moderate to High): Large research consortia and hospital chains have high leverage, though switching costs between sequencing platforms remain high due to proprietary consumables.
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Bargaining Power of Suppliers (Moderate): Suppliers of specialized raw materials (enzymes, specialized optics) are niche, but major sequencers are increasingly vertically integrated.
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Threat of New Entrants (Low): Extremely high barriers to entry due to massive R&D costs, complex IP landscapes, and the need for established distribution networks.
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Threat of Substitutes (Moderate): Long-read sequencing (Oxford Nanopore, PacBio) is a growing threat for specific applications like de novo assembly, though it currently lacks the throughput/cost-parity of SRS.
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Competitive Rivalry (High): Intense competition between Illumina, MGI, and Thermo Fisher on the basis of "cost per gigabase" and instrument automation.
SWOT Analysis
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Strengths: Extremely high base-call accuracy (>99.9%); lowest cost per megabase; massive installed base globally.
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Weaknesses: Difficulty in resolving highly repetitive genomic regions and large structural variants; heavy reliance on proprietary reagents.
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Opportunities: Expansion into "Liquid Biopsy" for early cancer detection; integration of AI for automated data interpretation; rising demand in emerging economies.
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Threats: Rapid improvements in long-read sequencing accuracy; stringent data privacy regulations (GDPR/HIPAA) affecting data sharing.
Market Trends, Drivers & Challenges
Key Drivers:
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Precision Medicine: The shift from "one-size-fits-all" to personalized treatment plans, particularly in oncology.
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Declining Costs: The "USD 100 Genome" milestone is making sequencing accessible for routine clinical use.
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Single-Cell Analysis: Increasing demand to understand cellular heterogeneity in immunology and neurology.
Key Challenges:
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Data Storage & Analysis: The "bioinformatics bottleneck"—sequencing is faster than the ability to store and interpret the massive data generated.
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Regulatory Hurdles: Diverse and evolving regulatory landscapes for diagnostic approval across different countries.
Trend Analysis:
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Decentralization: A shift from large core facilities to smaller, benchtop sequencers in local clinics.
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Multi-omics Integration: Combining short-read transcriptomics with proteomics and metabolomics for a holistic biological view.
Value Chain Analysis
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Inbound Logistics: Sourcing of high-purity chemicals, enzymes, and semiconductor components.
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Operations: Manufacturing of flow cells, proprietary reagents, and high-precision optical instruments.
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Distribution: Global network of direct sales and specialized distributors serving clinical and academic markets.
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Marketing & Sales: Focus on technical workshops, peer-reviewed validation, and "Razor-and-Blade" business models.
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Service & Support: Critical post-sale bioinformatics support and instrument maintenance.
Quick Recommendations for Stakeholders
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For Manufacturers: Focus on "Sample-to-Insight" automation. Reducing the manual labor in library preparation will be the next competitive frontier.
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For Diagnostic Labs: Invest in cloud-based bioinformatics infrastructure to handle the projected 10x increase in data volume over the next decade.
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For Investors: Target companies specializing in "Targeted Re-sequencing" and "Liquid Biopsy" consumables, as these offer high-margin recurring revenue.
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For Academic Institutions: Prioritize multi-platform hybrid approaches (combining Short-read and Long-read) to maximize research impact and genomic resolution.
1. Market Overview of Short-read Sequencing
1.1 Short-read Sequencing Market Overview
1.1.1 Short-read Sequencing Product Scope
1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook
1.2 Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Regions: 2015 VS 2021 VS 2026
1.3 Short-read Sequencing Historic Market Size by Regions
1.4 Short-read Sequencing Forecasted Market Size by Regions
1.5 Covid-19 Impact on Key Regions, Keyword Market Size YoY Growth
1.5.1 North America
1.5.2 East Asia
1.5.3 Europe
1.5.4 South Asia
1.5.5 Southeast Asia
1.5.6 Middle East
1.5.7 Africa
1.5.8 Oceania
1.5.9 South America
1.5.10 Rest of the World
1.6 Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Impact Will Have a Severe Impact on Global Growth
1.6.1 Covid-19 Impact: Global GDP Growth, 2019, 2020 and 2021 Projections
1.6.2 Covid-19 Impact: Commodity Prices Indices
1.6.3 Covid-19 Impact: Global Major Government Policy
2. Covid-19 Impact Short-read Sequencing Sales Market by Type
2.1 Global Short-read Sequencing Historic Market Size by Type
2.2 Global Short-read Sequencing Forecasted Market Size by Type
2.3 Instruments
2.4 Consumables
2.5 Services
3. Covid-19 Impact Short-read Sequencing Sales Market by Application
3.1 Global Short-read Sequencing Historic Market Size by Application
3.2 Global Short-read Sequencing Forecasted Market Size by Application
3.3 Academic Research
3.4 Clinical Research
3.5 Hospitals & Clinics
3.6 Pharma & Biotech Entities
3.7 Others
4. Covid-19 Impact Market Competition by Manufacturers
4.1 Global Short-read Sequencing Production Capacity Market Share by Manufacturers
4.2 Global Short-read Sequencing Revenue Market Share by Manufacturers
4.3 Global Short-read Sequencing Average Price by Manufacturers
5. Company Profiles and Key Figures in Short-read Sequencing Business
5.1 Thermo Fisher Scientific
5.1.1 Thermo Fisher Scientific Company Profile
5.1.2 Thermo Fisher Scientific Short-read Sequencing Product Specification
5.1.3 Thermo Fisher Scientific Short-read Sequencing Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin
5.2 Hoffmann-La Roche AG
5.2.1 Hoffmann-La Roche AG Company Profile
5.2.2 Hoffmann-La Roche AG Short-read Sequencing Product Specification
5.2.3 Hoffmann-La Roche AG Short-read Sequencing Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin
5.3 GE healthcare
5.3.1 GE healthcare Company Profile
5.3.2 GE healthcare Short-read Sequencing Product Specification
5.3.3 GE healthcare Short-read Sequencing Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin
5.4 Fasteris SA
5.4.1 Fasteris SA Company Profile
5.4.2 Fasteris SA Short-read Sequencing Product Specification
5.4.3 Fasteris SA Short-read Sequencing Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin
5.5 BGI Genomics
5.5.1 BGI Genomics Company Profile
5.5.2 BGI Genomics Short-read Sequencing Product Specification
5.5.3 BGI Genomics Short-read Sequencing Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin
5.6 Agilent Technologies
5.6.1 Agilent Technologies Company Profile
5.6.2 Agilent Technologies Short-read Sequencing Product Specification
5.6.3 Agilent Technologies Short-read Sequencing Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin
5.7 Genscript Biotech Corporation
5.7.1 Genscript Biotech Corporation Company Profile
5.7.2 Genscript Biotech Corporation Short-read Sequencing Product Specification
5.7.3 Genscript Biotech Corporation Short-read Sequencing Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin
5.8 Macrogen
5.8.1 Macrogen Company Profile
5.8.2 Macrogen Short-read Sequencing Product Specification
5.8.3 Macrogen Short-read Sequencing Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin
5.9 Genewiz
5.9.1 Genewiz Company Profile
5.9.2 Genewiz Short-read Sequencing Product Specification
5.9.3 Genewiz Short-read Sequencing Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin
5.10 Qiagen
5.10.1 Qiagen Company Profile
5.10.2 Qiagen Short-read Sequencing Product Specification
5.10.3 Qiagen Short-read Sequencing Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin
5.11 Illumina
5.11.1 Illumina Company Profile
5.11.2 Illumina Short-read Sequencing Product Specification
5.11.3 Illumina Short-read Sequencing Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin
6. North America
6.1 North America Short-read Sequencing Market Size
6.2 North America Short-read Sequencing Key Players in North America
6.3 North America Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Type
6.4 North America Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Application
7. East Asia
7.1 East Asia Short-read Sequencing Market Size
7.2 East Asia Short-read Sequencing Key Players in North America
7.3 East Asia Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Type
7.4 East Asia Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Application
8. Europe
8.1 Europe Short-read Sequencing Market Size
8.2 Europe Short-read Sequencing Key Players in North America
8.3 Europe Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Type
8.4 Europe Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Application
9. South Asia
9.1 South Asia Short-read Sequencing Market Size
9.2 South Asia Short-read Sequencing Key Players in North America
9.3 South Asia Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Type
9.4 South Asia Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Application
10. Southeast Asia
10.1 Southeast Asia Short-read Sequencing Market Size
10.2 Southeast Asia Short-read Sequencing Key Players in North America
10.3 Southeast Asia Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Type
10.4 Southeast Asia Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Application
11. Middle East
11.1 Middle East Short-read Sequencing Market Size
11.2 Middle East Short-read Sequencing Key Players in North America
11.3 Middle East Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Type
11.4 Middle East Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Application
12. Africa
12.1 Africa Short-read Sequencing Market Size
12.2 Africa Short-read Sequencing Key Players in North America
12.3 Africa Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Type
12.4 Africa Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Application
13. Oceania
13.1 Oceania Short-read Sequencing Market Size
13.2 Oceania Short-read Sequencing Key Players in North America
13.3 Oceania Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Type
13.4 Oceania Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Application
14. South America
14.1 South America Short-read Sequencing Market Size
14.2 South America Short-read Sequencing Key Players in North America
14.3 South America Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Type
14.4 South America Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Application
15. Rest of the World
15.1 Rest of the World Short-read Sequencing Market Size
15.2 Rest of the World Short-read Sequencing Key Players in North America
15.3 Rest of the World Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Type
15.4 Rest of the World Short-read Sequencing Market Size by Application
16 Short-read Sequencing Market Dynamics
16.1 Covid-19 Impact Market Top Trends
16.2 Covid-19 Impact Market Drivers
16.3 Covid-19 Impact Market Challenges
16.4 Porter
Market Segmentation
To provide a granular view of the industry, the market is categorized as follows:
1. By Component
-
Instruments: High-throughput, mid-throughput, and benchtop sequencers.
-
Consumables: Reagents, flow cells, and library preparation kits (the largest revenue contributor).
-
Services: Clinical diagnostics, data interpretation, and outsourced research.
2. By Technology
-
Sequencing by Synthesis (SBS): Dominant technology platform.
-
Ion Semiconductor Sequencing: Known for rapid turnaround times.
-
DNA Nanoball Sequencing (DNBSeq): Gaining market share via cost-disruption.
3. By Application
-
Oncology: Liquid biopsy, tumor profiling, and MRD (Minimal Residual Disease) monitoring.
-
Reproductive Health: NIPT and pre-implantation genetic testing.
-
Infectious Diseases: Pathogen surveillance and antimicrobial resistance tracking.
-
Agrigenomics: Crop improvement and livestock breeding.
4. By End-User
-
Academic & Research Institutes
-
Hospitals & Diagnostic Laboratories
-
Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies
-
Contract Research Organizations (CROs)
Top Key Players
The competitive landscape is characterized by heavy R&D investment and strategic mergers. Key players include:
-
Illumina, Inc. (Market leader in SBS technology)
-
Thermo Fisher Scientific (Ion Torrent platform)
-
BGI Group / MGI Tech (DNBSeq technology)
-
F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.
-
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
-
Qiagen N.V.
-
Eurofins Scientific
-
PerkinElmer, Inc.
-
10x Genomics (Specializing in single-cell SRS applications)
-
Macrogen, Inc.
-
GenScript Biotech Corporation
-
Azenta Life Sciences (formerly GENEWIZ)
