Global IT Spending to Reach $4.96 Trillion in 2026

HG Insights' 2026 forecast reveals enterprise dominance, first-ever SMB spend intelligence, and accelerating investment in AI-driven infrastructure

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As AI reshapes enterprise priorities, global IT spending is set to reach $4.96 trillion in 2026, according to the HG Insights 2026 Global IT Spend Report. The forecast includes $4.5 trillion in enterprise investment and $460.5 billion in SMB spending - this is the first time HG has quantified SMB spend at this scale - signaling broad-based acceleration in technology investment.

This year's report incorporates buyer intelligence from TrustRadius, acquired by HG Insights in June 2025. By integrating verified reviews and first-party intent data, the report connects spending forecasts with real-world buyer behavior, offering insight not only into where organizations are investing, but how they research, evaluate, and adopt technology solutions.

"GTM leaders are operating in one of the most volatile technology environments we've seen in decades," said Rohini Kasturi, CEO of HG Insights. "AI is accelerating investment in some areas, while increasing scrutiny in others. The organizations that win will be those that understand precisely where budgets are shifting and why. Our 2026 IT Spend Report provides that clarity."

Global IT Spending Approaches $5 Trillion

According to the HG Insights 2026 Global IT Spend Report, worldwide IT investment is projected to reach $4.96 trillion over the next 12 months.

Key findings from the 2026 forecast include:

Market Size & Segmentation

• 16.3 million organizations are projected to spend $4.96 trillion on IT hardware, software, services, and communications.
• Enterprise organizations account for $4.5 trillion of total spend.
• SMBs are expected to invest $460.5 billion - marking the first time HG Insights has published comprehensive SMB spending data.

Regional Spending Trends

• AMER is projected to reach $1.98 trillion.
• APAC is forecasted at $1.42 trillion.
• EMEA is expected to total $1.1 trillion.

Software & Services Continue to Dominate

• Software and IT services represent 74% of enterprise IT spending.
• $1.39 trillion is projected in enterprise software spend.
• $716.7 billion is forecasted for enterprise cloud services, the largest segment within IT services.
• $295.5 billion in communications spending is expected, led by mobile and fixed data services.

AI Infrastructure Driving Hardware Growth

• IT hardware investment is rising due to global AI infrastructure expansion.
• Spending is concentrated in servers, components, and data center infrastructure.

Download the full report
To access more detailed insights and analysis, including buyer behavior, real user sentiment, and customer spotlights, read the full IT Spend Report: The Ultimate B2B Market Forecast for 2026, or the HG Insights blog post, 'Global IT Spend Forecast 2026: What Enterprise Buyers Are Really Investing In.' 

About HG Insights
HG Insights delivers AI-powered Revenue Growth Intelligence (RGI) solutions that modernize GTM strategy and activation, enabling B2B companies to prioritize, target, engage, and convert the best opportunities faster. Our platform's analytics and agents turn deep market, account, technology, spend, intent, and customer data into actionable insights and automated workflows that accelerate pipeline and enhance predictability. That's why 95% of Fortune 1000 B2B tech companies and all major hyperscalers rely on HG Insights to grow revenue, boost efficiency, and improve retention. For more information, visit www.hginsights.com.

TrustRadius is an HG Insights company.

SOURCE HG Insights