Delray Beach, Fla. – September 25, 2026 -- The global liquid handling system market will grow from $5.26 billion in 2026 to $7.79 billion by 2031, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 8.2%, according to a new report from MarketsandMarkets.
Automated systems and pipettes lead segment growth
Automated systems held the largest share of the market in 2025 and are projected to post the highest CAGR of 9.0% through 2031, as pharmaceutical and biotechnology laboratories shift from manual liquid transfer to robotic platforms for pipetting, dispensing, dilution and microplate handling. Within product categories, pipettes accounted for the largest 2025 share and are forecast to grow fastest at 9.5% CAGR, driven by adoption of electronic and multi-channel pipetting systems that integrate with laboratory information management systems (LIMS) and support nanoliter-scale dispensing for genomics and cell and gene therapy workflows.
Genomics applications outpace drug discovery in growth rate
Drug discovery represented the largest application segment in 2025, with liquid handling platforms used for high-throughput screening, compound dispensing and serial dilution across large compound libraries. Genomics, however, is set to expand fastest among applications at a 9.0% CAGR, fueled by demand for next-generation sequencing, PCR, genotyping and DNA/RNA purification workflows requiring high-precision, low-volume sample handling.
Hospitals and diagnostic labs remain the largest end-user category
Hospitals and diagnostic laboratories held the dominant end-user share in 2025, as rising molecular diagnostics, immunoassay and PCR-based testing volumes push facilities toward automated pipetting, aliquoting and reagent-dispensing systems connected to analyzers, LIS/LIMS and barcode tracking infrastructure. The shift aims to shorten turnaround times, reduce sample contamination and cut reagent waste in high-volume centralized labs.
Asia Pacific set for the fastest regional expansion
Asia Pacific is expected to register the highest regional CAGR during the forecast period as laboratory automation and biotechnology infrastructure scale across emerging markets. Growth is also being reinforced globally by miniaturization trends favoring nanoliter-scale dispensing and by replacement demand as older manual pipetting equipment is swapped for ergonomic, electronic models.