VISUAL CAPITALIST

Helium-3’s Projected Rise in Demand by 2035Key Takeaways Global demand for Helium-3 is projected to grow nearly 14x between 2025 and 2035, rising from 1,200 liters per year to over 16,000 liters. At roughly $2,500 per liter today, He-3 is already an expensive and strategically important isotope, costing about the same as 700 gallons of U.S. gasoline. Helium-3 demand is expected to rise sharply over the next decade, driven by its use in quantum technologies, cryogenics, and fusion research. In just 10 years, projected annual demand is expected to grow nearly 14x, or roughly 30% growth per year. This graphic, created in partnership with Pulsar Helium, shows projected Helium-3 demand through 2035. It’s part two of four in the Helium 3: From Theory to Opportunity series, delivering key He-3 insights for investors tracking deep tech, critical minerals, and advanced computing. Helium-3 is on the Rise He-3 demand is growing fast. From 2025 to 2035, projected annual demand grows nearly 14x from 1,200 liters to 16,543 liters. YearHe-3 Liters / YearHe-3 Gallons / Year 20251,200317 20261,560412 20272,028536 20282,636696 20293,427905 20304,4561,177 20315,7921,530 20327,5301,989 20339,7892,586 203412,7253,362 203516,5434,371 For a rare but critical isotope, limited supply and rising demand make sourcing more He-3 a pressing strategic issue. The Economic Value of Helium-3 Today, one liter of He-3 costs about $2,500. That’s roughly the same price as 700 gallons of U.S. gasoline, based on a retail average of $4 per gallon. The high price is a reflection of He-3’s rarity and specialized uses: Cryogenics: Critical for quantum computing to reach ultra-low temperatures below 0.01 Kelvin. Radiation Monitoring: Excellent at detecting neutrons released by nuclear materials, making it the gold standard for homeland border security, reactor monitoring, and scientific research. Medical Imaging: Enables high-contrast, radiation-free imaging of lungs. Fusion Energy: Ongoing research to study its theoretical use in fusion reactors as a radiation-free fuel. Helium 3: From Theory to Opportunity Rising demand and prices make securing new sources of He-3 more important than ever. For investors, the key question is where future supply will come from. Should we look here on Earth, or beyond? You may also like