A chip module has a contact area disposed on its outer side formed of a plurality of essentially flat contact elements of electrically conductive material insulated from one another. At least one semiconductor chip having one or more integrated semiconductor circuits that are electrically connected to the contact elements of the contact area via bonding wires. The contact elements of the chip module are formed by a prefabricated lead frame for supporting the at least one semiconductor chip and have on two opposing sides of the chip module outwardly offset terminals arranged in rows next to one another. The outwardly offset terminals are provided for surface mounting the chip module on the mounting surface of an external printed circuit board or an external circuit board substrate.