Abstract: A process for manufacturing a bonding wire containing a core having a surface. The core contains ?98.0% copper and has a cross sectional area of 75,00 to 600,000 ?m2 and an elastic limit RP0.2 (yield strength) of 40 to 95 N/mm2. The process involves (a) providing a copper core precursor; (b) drawing the precursor until a final diameter of the wire core is reached; and (c) annealing the drawn wire at a minimum annealing temperature of 650 to 1000° C. through its entire cross section for a minimum annealing time of 4 seconds to 2 hours.