In this article, we will take a look at the 9 Best 5G Stocks to Buy Right Now.
5G, the fifth generation of wireless cellular technology, provides significant advances in speed and capacity over previous generations. By the end of 2025, the total number of 5G connections across the globe had topped 2.7 billion. This massive expansion predicts a significantly higher rate of 5G deployment than previous wireless generations. By 2030, mobile technology is expected to contribute about $1 trillion to the world’s economy, making it the fastest-growing technology yet.
According to an SNS Telecom & IT analysis, global investment in private LTE and 5G network infrastructure for vertical markets would increase at a CAGR of nearly 22% from 2025 to 2028, eventually topping $7.2 billion by the close of 2028.
This consistent, significant growth contrasts with the slow pace of infrastructure spending in the significantly larger but comparatively stable public mobile network sector, although standalone 5G core investments are increasing. According to Counterpoint Research, around 80 global mobile network providers have already introduced commercial 5G standalone services, with Europe seeing significant traction in the past year.
Our Methodology
To make our list of the best 5G stocks to buy now, we chose and selected notable names that hold favorable views among market experts and analysts. While 5G technology is the primary focus of most of these stocks, several also include cloud service providers, holding companies with 5G-related subsidiaries, and semiconductor companies that enable 5G ecosystems. These stocks are also popular among analysts and elite hedge funds.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Insider Monkey’s quarterly newsletter strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 599.2% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 372 percentage points (see more details here).
9. Cadence Design Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CDNS)
Cadence Design Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CDNS) ranks among the best 5G stocks to buy right now. On June 9, Stifel maintained its Buy rating on Cadence Design Systems Inc. and increased its price target from $395 to $432, citing Cadence’s announcement of a multi-year Design Technology Co-Optimization partnership with Intel Foundry aimed at Intel 14A.
Stifel sees the announcement as progressively positive to Cadence Design Systems Inc. in a number of ways, such as confirming the strategic worth of the company’s Design IP solutions and agentic AI-based applications in developing cutting-edge operations.
Additionally, Cadence Design Systems Inc. revealed on June 1 that it was launching the very first fully autonomous virtual engineer for semiconductor development in the field at Computex 2026. The system runs in the NVIDIA OpenShell runtime environment and is based on Cadence’s digital design automation portfolio, leveraging NVIDIA Nemotron models.
Cadence Design Systems Inc. states that by employing the technology, NVIDIA engineers have accelerated RTL validation cycles by 40 times, reducing typical five-week verification loops to just under a day.
Cadence Design Systems Inc. is a leading provider of electronic design automation (EDA) software, hardware, and IP used by semiconductor companies to design and verify advanced integrated circuits & systems. The company is well-known for its EDA (Electronic Design Automation) tools, which engineers use to create complex 5G System-on-Chip (SoCs).
8. Fortinet Inc. (NASDAQ:FTNT)
Fortinet Inc. (NASDAQ:FTNT) ranks among the best 5G stocks to buy right now. On June 8, TD Cowen boosted its price target for Fortinet Inc. to $160 from $125, keeping a Buy rating on the company’s shares. The firm cited the company’s market position in the core network security, SASE, and security services sectors as a major reason for the price target increase.
According to TD Cowen, AI is the next phase of development for Fortinet Inc., while data center expansion and sovereign SASE constitute long-term tailwinds. The firm stated that its model takes into account increased memory prices and sees Fortinet’s ASIC method as advantageous.
Meanwhile, on May 11, Cantor Fitzgerald boosted its price target for Fortinet Inc. to $110 from an unspecified previous level, maintaining its Overweight rating for the company. The firm cited Fortinet’s first-quarter fiscal 2026 results, which outperformed expectations across several metrics.
Fortinet Inc. also increased its fiscal 2026 forecast for all top-line measures. The company now anticipates revenue growth of 15%, up from 13%, and billings growth of 18%, up from 13%.
Fortinet Inc. provides cybersecurity and convergence of networking and security solutions worldwide.
7. American Tower Corporation (NYSE:AMT)
American Tower Corporation (NYSE:AMT) ranks among the best 5G stocks to buy right now. On May 19, Bernstein boosted American Tower Corporation to Outperform with a $207 price target based on long-term 5G/data center demand and diminishing rate sensitivity. The firm said that investor concerns about satellite competition, increased interest rates, and Dish Network risks were becoming exaggerated.
Bernstein emphasized American Tower’s portfolio of about 149,000 towers in developed economies, citing its consistent cash flows, long-term leases, and steady growth outlook. The firm stated that the company continues to bring in approximately 5% AFFO growth even after factoring in Dish-related activity, foreign exchange constraints, and refinancing expenses.
Given the constraints on capacity, indoor coverage, and network performance in crowded urban markets, Bernstein contended that satellite-based wireless services are unlikely to fully replace conventional infrastructure. Rather, analysts predict that further ground deployments or collaborations with mobile network providers will be necessary to ensure future satellite services.
Based in Boston, Massachusetts, American Tower Corporation is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in data centers and telecommunications. The company, which has over 221,000 properties globally, is essential to the development of fiber-optic networks that link 5G small cell sites to the internet.
6. QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM)
QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) ranks among the best 5G stocks to buy right now. On June 9, SLB announced an agreement with QUALCOMM Incorporated to collaborate on cutting-edge AI solutions for energy industry operations. The collaboration brings together Qualcomm Technologies’ power-efficient edge computing and AI processing tools with SLB’s Agora edge AI and IoT services for remote energy scenarios.
Furthermore, Bloomberg reported on May 26 that QUALCOMM Incorporated has landed an agreement to deliver AI chips to ByteDance. ByteDance plans to buy millions of Qualcomm’s application-specific integrated circuits to power the company’s AI agent software.
The agreement represents a major win for QUALCOMM Incorporated as it seeks to move beyond phone processors towards AI infrastructure.
Cristiano Amon, the company’s CEO, previously stated that customers are starting to line up for the company’s chips. He referred to “engagement” with many businesses during a post-earnings conference call in April, though he did not name any potential clients.
QUALCOMM Incorporated is a leading manufacturer and supplier of core technologies for the wireless sector, with a product line that includes processors that enable 5G. The company has benefited from the rise in smartphones since the early 2000s by focusing on the technology behind 3G and 4G networks.
5. T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ:TMUS)
T-Mobile US, Inc. (NASDAQ:TMUS) ranks among the best 5G stocks to buy right now. On June 4, T-Mobile US, Inc. introduced Dynamic CX, an AI-powered network optimization feature designed to handle spikes in demand amid large-scale events and conferences.
The tool builds on T-Mobile’s Self-Organizing Network technology and leverages artificial intelligence to detect probable mass gatherings by evaluating freely accessible event information, calendars, and online activity. It rapidly adapts to network demand via AI-powered automation, hence improving network efficiency in real time and assisting in the delivery of responsive services.
On the same day, T-Mobile US, Inc. inaugurated its first global capabilities center outside the US in Hyderabad, India, with plans of employing around 1,000 people by 2027.
According to the company, the center will act as a strategic innovation hub, developing advanced skills in software engineering, DevOps, product design, data analysis, and cybersecurity.
T-Mobile US, Inc. provides wireless communications services under the T-Mobile and MetroPCS brands. The company offers prepaid and postpaid wireless messaging, voice, and data services, along with wholesale wireless services.
4. Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO)
Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) ranks among the best 5G stocks to buy right now. On June 2, Cisco Systems Inc. announced the release of Cisco Cloud Control, a platform for managing IT infrastructure by operators and artificial intelligence agents. The platform offers a unified interface for networking, security, computation, and observability.
The platform, which links to third-party services such as AWS, Microsoft, and Google Cloud, among others, allows users to create apps and agents using natural language.
Additionally, the company launched a marketplace akin to an app store where businesses may select coding tools. OpenAI’s Codex, which will be integrated directly into the Cloud Control platform, is the first tool available.
In a separate vein, on June 4, Cisco Systems Inc. held a validation test for its Private 5G-as-a-Service (P5GaaS) platform at the Toronto Innovation Center, combining it with the Telesat Lightspeed Network Emulator. According to the test results, the connection’s average one-way latency was roughly 24 milliseconds, which is well within the range needed for enterprise applications that are sensitive to latency.
Cisco Systems Inc. is involved in the manufacture, design, and sale of Internet Protocol-based networking products and services associated with the communications and IT industry.
3. Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA)
Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) ranks among the best 5G stocks to buy right now. On June 4, Comcast Corporation announced that it had agreed to invest over 6 billion pounds ($8.05 billion) in the United Kingdom to build and operate Universal’s first European resort, as the US media conglomerate seeks to grow its theme-park business. The move led to CMCSA shares to edge higher in overnight trading, after plunging to a yearly low during the preceding session.
Universal United Kingdom Resort, located in Bedford, UK, is about 45 minutes outside of London. The resort will comprise a world-class amusement center with a number of immersive areas and unique attractions, as well as a 500-room hotel and a shopping, restaurant, and entertainment hub.
Meanwhile, on June 5, Rosenblatt reduced its price target for Comcast Corporation from $30 to $24, retaining a Neutral rating on the stock. The firm highlighted that Comcast shares have declined 17% year-to-date, with a tighter broadband environment being the key driver of the stock’s performance.
That said, the firm stated that Comcast Corporation has streamlined its cable, broadband, and wireless products and introduced cheaper pricing. In this regard, the company forecasts higher broadband average revenue per user in the latter half of the year.
Comcast Corporation is an American media and technology company that specializes in telecommunications and entertainment. The company’s Xfinity Mobile service provides 5G coverage across the United States.
2. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T)
AT&T Inc. ranks among the best 5G stocks to buy right now. AT&T Inc. announced on June 3 that it will begin streamlining its fiber home internet options, limiting choices to four speed levels and offering bundle savings to customers who mix internet and wireless phone services. After reductions, customers who combine AT&T wireless and home broadband services can get fiber internet for as little as $35 a month, plus taxes and fees.
According to the company, at 300 Mbps, the new entry-level fiber package is three times faster than its previous entry-level product. Meanwhile, the 5 GIG plan comes with All-Fi Pro, a bundle that offers Wi-Fi coverage around homes, security features, and equipment upgrades.
The same day, Oppenheimer lowered AT&T Inc.’s (NYSE:T) rating to Perform from Outperform, citing increased rivalry from satellite LEO constellations. According to the firm, satellite providers pose a risk to long-term broadband user expansion and ultimately, mobile services.
Leading telecommunications firm AT&T Inc. provides a wide range of wireless communication services and data solutions to a number of customer groups, including corporations, governmental organizations, wholesale customers, and individual consumers.
1. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ)
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) ranks among the best 5G stocks to buy right now. Verizon Communications Inc. reported on May 15 that it had joined Project Glasswing, a key cybersecurity partnership managed by Anthropic. Project Glasswing was launched upon the announcement that Anthropic’s most sophisticated AI model, Claude Mythos Preview, is proficient in discovering complex weaknesses in major software and operating systems at high speeds.
Following the announcement, Verizon CEO Dan Schulman pointed out that the collaboration enables Verizon Communications Inc. to explore frontier AI capabilities to effectively secure its key infrastructure against new threats.
Moreover, on May 14, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) cleared Verizon’s $1 billion acquisition of spectrum assets from US Cellular to increase its network capacity and reach.
The FCC claimed that the acquisition will increase Verizon’s “network coverage, capacity and performance, resulting in a stronger ability to meet increasing customer demand and provide a better customer experience.”
Verizon Communications Inc. is a major provider of technology, entertainment, and communication services worldwide. The company offers a range of services through its operational divisions, such as digital TV, high-speed internet, and 5G and 4G wireless connectivity.