South Korean semiconductor equipment maker Hanwha Semitech is reportedly preparing to supply fan-out panel-level packaging (FO-PLP) equipment for advanced chip packaging in the second half of 2026, with the systems expected to be used in the mass production of networking chips for SpaceX.
Malaysia is exploring ways to encourage more semiconductor-related companies to list on Bursa Malaysia as the government seeks to better align the country's capital markets with its growing role in the global chip supply chain.
The global race for AI computing power continues to intensify, beyond ongoing GPU shortages. CPUs, long viewed as secondary components in servers, are once again becoming critical parts of data center infrastructure due to the rapid rise of AI inference and AI agent applications.
China's top foundry SMIC is entering a new growth phase after regulators approved a record CNY40.6 billion (US$5.98 billion) asset acquisition that strengthens its grip over one of its most profitable wafer fabs, while surging domestic AI infrastructure spending is rapidly reshaping the company's long-term outlook.
Of the 238 Taiwan-listed semiconductor and related companies tracked by Digitimes, 73% (173 companies) posted positive year-on-year revenue growth in April 2026, and 58% (139) grew month-over-month. Memory makers, AI server assemblers, and advanced packaging houses led the advance, while silicon wafer suppliers and a handful of fabless names faced ongoing headwinds.
Ableprint reported record first-quarter 2026 revenue and profit as customers installed and qualified new advanced packaging production lines and expanded shipments of high-end process equipment, with the company saying demand tied to co-packaged optics started to convert into orders. The firm posted net profit after tax of NT$415 million, up 82.1% year on year, and first-quarter revenue rose 81.9% year on year to NT$876 million.
April results from Taiwan's power electronics sector underscored how deeply artificial intelligence infrastructure is reshaping demand for energy systems, with strong growth across data center power management, backup batteries, and advanced cooling solutions.
As the Iran war and the geopolitical uncertainty it has triggered continue to intensify, global technology supply chains are coming under heavier-than-expected pressure. In addition to surging metal raw material prices, shortages of high-specification ISO containers used to transport helium, as well as specialty industrial solvents, are driving up production costs and threatening the stability of semiconductor manufacturing capacity.
The US may soon see Taiwan-style industrial parks, according to officials and industry representatives who recently visited the country to attend a trade summit. The development could see companies in Taiwan's chip ecosystem establish a presence at US locations near TSMC's facilities.
Acter Group reported record first-quarter 2026 results as sustained demand from semiconductor, AI data center, and high-tech electronics customers drove factory buildouts and expansions, the firm announced. Revenue rose 36% year on year to NT$11.6 billion (US$370 million), net profit climbed 146% to NT$1.58 billion, and earnings per share reached NT$12.76, also up 146% from a year earlier.
At the recently concluded SEMICON SEA, the scale of industry interest in Southeast Asia was clear. Alongside the growing presence of Chinese exhibitors and the expanding ranks of Singapore and Malaysia-based companies, Taiwan suppliers also showed strong participation, underscoring the ambition of Taiwan manufacturers to tap regional semiconductor demand.
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