Biosurfactants Global Market Report 2026

The term biosurfactant encompasses a diverse group of molecules with a polar (hydrophilic) head and a non-polar (hydrophobic) tail. Produced by various microorganisms like Acinetobacter sp., Bacillus sp., Candida antartica, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, biosurfactants can serve as substitutes for synthetic surfactants in numerous industrial processes. These processes include lubrication, wetting, dye fixation, emulsion formation, dispersion stabilization, foaming, anti-foaming, and applications in the food, biomedical, pharmaceutical, and organic bioremediation industries.

The main types of biosurfactants include glycolipids, phospholipids, surfactin, lichenysin, polymeric biosurfactants, and others. The glycolipid surfactants segment involves the sales of glycolipid biosurfactants, characterized by their structural composition of hydrophilic moieties containing glucose, mannose, galactose, trehalose, rhamnose, sophorose, and hydrophobic moieties with long fatty acid chains. Synthesized from hydrocarbons, industrial wastes, frying oils, and olive oil wastes, these biosurfactants find applications in detergents, food processing, personal care, agricultural chemicals, and various other industries.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

Tariffs are affecting the biosurfactants market by increasing costs of imported fermentation equipment, microbial cultures, downstream processing systems, and specialty formulation inputs. Producers in Europe and North America are most impacted due to reliance on imported bioprocessing technologies, while Asia-Pacific faces pricing pressure on export-oriented biosurfactant products. These tariffs are raising production costs and slowing scale-up activities. However, they are also encouraging local fermentation capacity development, regional supply chains, and innovation in cost-efficient biosurfactant production.

The biosurfactants market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides biosurfactants market statistics, including biosurfactants industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a biosurfactants market share, detailed biosurfactants market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the biosurfactants industry. This biosurfactants market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

The biosurfactants market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $5.17 billion in 2025 to $5.67 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increasing environmental concerns over synthetic surfactants, growth of bio-based chemical production, rising adoption in food and personal care industries, expansion of fermentation technologies, availability of microbial production platforms.

The biosurfactants market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $7.95 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increasing regulations on chemical surfactants, rising demand for sustainable formulations, expansion of bioremediation applications, growing investments in industrial biotechnology, increasing adoption in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Major trends in the forecast period include increasing adoption of microbial-derived surfactants, rising use in green cleaning products, growing demand for bio-based emulsifiers, expansion of biosurfactants in agricultural formulations, enhanced focus on low-toxicity surface agents.

The increasing demand for personal care products is expected to drive the growth of the biosurfactants market going forward. Personal care products include items used for hygiene, grooming, and enhancing appearance, such as skincare, haircare, oral care, and cosmetics. Rising consumer awareness of health and hygiene is fueling demand for these products. Biosurfactants enhance personal care formulations by improving performance, supporting gentle cleansing, and maintaining product stability. For instance, in September 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a US-based government agency, reported that spending on personal care products and services increased by 9.7% from 2022 to 2023, while their share of total annual expenditures remained steady at 1.2%. Therefore, the rising demand for personal care products is driving the biosurfactants market.

Major companies in the biosurfactants market are focusing on developing innovative products, such as eco-friendly glycolipid and amino-acid-based surfactants, to enhance sustainability, performance, and biodegradability across coatings, personal care, and industrial applications. These surfactants are naturally derived, biodegradable surface-active agents made from sugars or amino acids, reducing environmental impact while improving wetting, foaming, and emulsifying properties. For instance, in September 2024, Evonik Industries AG, a Germany-based specialty chemicals company, launched TEGO Wet 570 Terra and TEGO Wet 580 Terra-plant-based, biodegradable biosurfactants for waterborne coatings and printing inks. These products provide excellent wetting of pigments, fillers, and substrates, improved pigment dispersion, reduced grinding time, low VOC content, and high formulation stability, making them ideal for decorative paints, industrial and transportation coatings, and inks, while supporting sustainable applications.

In July 2023, Holiferm, a biotechnology company based in the UK, entered into a partnership with Fibenol for an undisclosed sum. The goal of this collaboration is to develop sustainable biosurfactants from wood residues, thereby promoting defossilization and providing environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional surfactants. Fibenol is a biotechnology company located in Finland, specializing in fractionation technology that converts wood residues into valuable materials.

Major companies operating in the biosurfactants market are AGAE Technologies, Biotensidon GmbH, Croda International plc, Dispersa Inc., Evonik Industries AG, GlycoSurf Inc., Holiferm Ltd., Jeneil Biotech Inc., Kemin Industries Inc., Lion Corporation, Saraya Mystair Hygiene Pvt. Ltd., Stepan Company, TensioGreen Corp., Victex plc, AlgaEnergy, Diversey Holdings Ltd., Ecover Group, GEA Group, Global Green Chemicals Public Company Limited, Glyconova, Innospec Inc., Lipofoods, Locus Fermentation Solutions, Metgen Oy, MG Intobio Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble

Western Europe was the largest region in the biosurfactants market in 2025. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in the biosurfactants market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa

The countries covered in the biosurfactants market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain

The biosurfactant market consists of sales of lipopeptides and fatty acids for use as biosurfactants. Values in this market are 'factory gate' values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

Biosurfactants Market Global Report 2026 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.

This report focuses biosurfactants market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.

Reasons to Purchase

• Gain a truly global perspective with the most comprehensive report available on this market covering 16 geographies.
• Assess the impact of key macro factors such as geopolitical conflicts, trade policies and tariffs, inflation and interest rate fluctuations, and evolving regulatory landscapes.
• Create regional and country strategies on the basis of local data and analysis.
• Identify growth segments for investment.
• Outperform competitors using forecast data and the drivers and trends shaping the market.
• Understand customers based on end user analysis.
• Benchmark performance against key competitors based on market share, innovation, and brand strength.
• Evaluate the total addressable market (TAM) and market attractiveness scoring to measure market potential.
• Suitable for supporting your internal and external presentations with reliable high-quality data and analysis
• Report will be updated with the latest data and delivered to you within 2-3 working days of order along with an Excel data sheet for easy data extraction and analysis.
• All data from the report will also be delivered in an excel dashboard format.

Where is the largest and fastest growing market for biosurfactants ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The biosurfactants market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.

The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, total addressable market (TAM), market attractiveness score (MAS), competitive landscape, market shares, company scoring matrix, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.

• The market characteristics section of the report defines and explains the market. This section also examines key products and services offered in the market, evaluates brand-level differentiation, compares product features, and highlights major innovation and product development trends.
• The supply chain analysis section provides an overview of the entire value chain, including key raw materials, resources, and supplier analysis. It also provides a list competitor at each level of the supply chain.
• The updated trends and strategies section analyses the shape of the market as it evolves and highlights emerging technology trends such as digital transformation, automation, sustainability initiatives, and AI-driven innovation. It suggests how companies can leverage these advancements to strengthen their market position and achieve competitive differentiation.
• The regulatory and investment landscape section provides an overview of the key regulatory frameworks, regularity bodies, associations, and government policies influencing the market. It also examines major investment flows, incentives, and funding trends shaping industry growth and innovation.
• The market size section gives the market size ($b) covering both the historic growth of the market, and forecasting its development.
• The forecasts are made after considering the major factors currently impacting the market. These include the technological advancements such as AI and automation, Russia-Ukraine war, trade tariffs (government-imposed import/export duties), elevated inflation and interest rates.
• The total addressable market (TAM) analysis section defines and estimates the market potential compares it with the current market size, and provides strategic insights and growth opportunities based on this evaluation.
• The market attractiveness scoring section evaluates the market based on a quantitative scoring framework that considers growth potential, competitive dynamics, strategic fit, and risk profile. It also provides interpretive insights and strategic implications for decision-makers.
• Market segmentations break down the market into sub markets.
• The regional and country breakdowns section gives an analysis of the market in each geography and the size of the market by geography and compares their historic and forecast growth.
• Expanded geographical coverage includes Taiwan and Southeast Asia, reflecting recent supply chain realignments and manufacturing shifts in the region. This section analyzes how these markets are becoming increasingly important hubs in the global value chain.
• The competitive landscape chapter gives a description of the competitive nature of the market, market shares, and a description of the leading companies. Key financial deals which have shaped the market in recent years are identified.
• The company scoring matrix section evaluates and ranks leading companies based on a multi-parameter framework that includes market share or revenues, product innovation, and brand recognition.

Scope

• Markets Covered:1) By Product Type: Glycolipid; Phospholipids; Surfactin; Lichenysin; Polymeric Bio-surfactants; Other Product Types
• 2) By Application: Detergents; Personal Care; Food Processing; Agricultural Chemicals; Other Applications
• 3) By Production Method: Submerged Fermentation; Solid-State Fermentation
• Subsegments:
• 1) By Glycolipid: Sophorolipids; Rhamnolipids; Trehalolipids
• 2) By Phospholipids: Lecithin; Phosphatidylcholine; Phosphatidylethanolamine
• 3) By Surfactin: Lipopeptide Surfactants; Bacillus subtilis-Derived Surfactin
• 4) By Lichenysin: Lichenysin A; Lichenysin B
• 5) By Polymeric Bio-surfactants: Xanthan Gum; Scleroglucan; Pullulan
• 6) By Other Product Types: Microbial Bio-surfactants; Plant-Derived Bio-surfactants; Other Synthetic Biosurfactants
• Companies Mentioned: AGAE Technologies; Biotensidon GmbH; Croda International plc; Dispersa Inc.; Evonik Industries AG; GlycoSurf Inc.; Holiferm Ltd.; Jeneil Biotech Inc.; Kemin Industries Inc.; Lion Corporation; Saraya Mystair Hygiene Pvt. Ltd.; Stepan Company; TensioGreen Corp.; Victex plc; AlgaEnergy; Diversey Holdings Ltd.; Ecover Group; GEA Group; Global Green Chemicals Public Company Limited; Glyconova; Innospec Inc.; Lipofoods; Locus Fermentation Solutions; Metgen Oy; MG Intobio Co. Ltd.; Procter & Gamble
• Countries: Australia; Brazil; China; France; Germany; India; Indonesia; Japan; Taiwan; Russia; South Korea; UK; USA; Canada; Italy; Spain
• Regions: Asia-Pacific; South East Asia; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; North America; South America; Middle East; Africa
• Time Series: Five years historic and ten years forecast.
• Data: Ratios of market size and growth to related markets, GDP proportions, expenditure per capita,
• Data Segmentations: country and regional historic and forecast data, market share of competitors, market segments.
• Sourcing and Referencing: Data and analysis throughout the report is sourced using end notes.
• Delivery Format: Word, PDF or Interactive Report
• + Excel Dashboard
• Added Benefits
• Bi-Annual Data Update
• Customisation
• Expert Consultant Support

Added Benefits available all on all list-price licence purchases, to be claimed at time of purchase. Customisations within report scope and limited to 20% of content and consultant support time limited to 8 hours.