The self-funded medical beauty market has gradually integrated into consumers' daily life, combining the pursuit of outer aesthetics with inner self-confidence, resulting in significant growth in the worldwide medical beauty business.According to a June 2024 survey conducted by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), plastic surgeons worldwide conducted over 15.8 million surgical procedures in 2023, in addition to the 19.1 million non-surgical procedures. Among them, non-surgical skin tightening treatments were ranked fourth in market demand.To capitalize on the substantial business potential within this sector, A-TOP Health Biotech, possessing robust R&D capabilities, introduced its proprietary product "JOUVENCE" to address the shortcomings of current thread materials. The product will soon be submitted for review by the U.S. FDA, with certification expected in the fourth quarter of 2025.As emphasized by Olivia Tseng, founder and chairperson of A-TOP Health Biotech, ongoing advancements in medical aesthetics technology have made major surgical procedures unnecessary for achieving skin firmness. Instead, lifting threads can now be inserted into targeted areas to achieve the desired results. Conventional lifting threads feature a "sharp barb" or "hooked" design that pierces the skin tissue, granting anchorage to facilitate skin lifting; however, this design often causes discomfort, and in some cases, patients may experience excessive inflammation requiring additional surgery.JOUVENCE lifting threads adopt a unique bionic cross-sectional design to avoid the discomfort caused by conventional barbed threads, thereby offering consumers a more comfortable and effective treatment experience.Tseng stated, "JOUVENCE will challenge the traditional paradigm of round thread materials, redefine the technical concept of thread lifting, seamlessly integrate technology and aesthetics to usher in a new era of innovation, and establish itself as a pivotal and trusted brand in the global medical beauty sector."3D Beauty-AI software enables innovation in lifting threadsA-TOP Health Biotech, founded in 2021, is driven by the mission of "Technology and Beauty, Touching the World". The company focuses on developing medical aesthetic and reconstructive surgical materials that are both clinically proven and highly safe, aiming to solve clinical challenges and enhance the quality and efficiency of aesthetic medicine.Its flagship product, JOUVENCE, is a world-first innovation developed using patented non-cutting molding and twisting technology, overcoming the limitations of traditional PDO lifting threads and offering four major advantages. First, its continuous structure provides stable support, reducing the risk of thread slippage and displacement. Second, it eliminates the breakage issues caused by stress concentration in cut threads, resulting in smoother surgical procedures. Third, the absence of sharp structures minimizes the sensation of foreign objects and reduces tissue irritation, significantly lowering inflammation and fibrosis. Fourth, it complies with standardized certification protocols, demonstrating rigorous biocompatibility and excellent product performance.In addition to product innovation, A-TOP Health Biotech addresses clinical pain points by introducing its "3D Beauty-AI Software" to assist physicians. By processing just 15 facial images, the software completes a 3D visual reconstruction, helping non-specialist doctors quickly grasp the key techniques for thread lifting and shortening the learning curve. The AI-generated 3D images also facilitate doctor-patient communication, enhancing transparency and trust in treatment, and further improving the overall medical aesthetic experience.Enhancing worldwide patent deployment: Focus on Taiwan, Thailand, and the USDespite Tseng's extensive practical experience in the medical devices and biotechnology sectors, A-TOP Health Biotech may continue to face multifaceted challenges in areas such as R&D, marketing, and fundraising as the company expands.By joining the Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA), the company gained valuable resources and received comprehensive support from the FlyingVest Accelerator, gradually overcoming key early-stage startup obstacles. The company also successfully secured a spot in the MEDICA Taiwan team organized by Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) in 2024, demonstrating both its technological strength and market potential.In the context of global strategy, Tseng stated that A-TOP Health Biotech will prioritize Thailand, Taiwan, and the US as target markets, combining its JOUVENCE lifting threat technology with 3D Beauty-AI software to provide medical beauty clinics with comprehensive non-surgical skin tightening solutions.A-TOP Health Biotech aspires to establish itself as a globally influential medical aesthetics brand through innovative R&D and international patent strategy, realizing the brand vision of "Technology and Beauty, Touching the World."

TSMC's fourth-quarter profits jumped 57% to $11.4 billion, and while most analysts credit AI chip demand, there's another force quietly reshaping semiconductor markets. Blockchain infrastructure is creating demand patterns that extend far beyond cryptocurrency mining - we're seeing measurable pressure across multiple chip categories that most observers haven't connected yet.The applications driving this demand aren't limited to financial networks. Everything from supply chain verification systems to new bitcoin casinos requires specialized hardware that traditional computing applications never needed. Gartner projects this intersection will generate a $1.5 billion market opportunity by 2028, while Deloitte's research shows 70% of semiconductor executives expect blockchain to significantly impact their operations within five years. That's not speculation - it's capital allocation planning based on technical requirements they're already seeing.When Cryptography Meets SiliconHere's what makes blockchain different from typical computing workloads: the cryptographic operations require hardware that can handle intensive hashing calculations efficiently. GPUs, originally designed for graphics rendering, happen to excel at these mathematical operations. This creates competition for the same chips that AI applications demand, compounding supply pressures we're already experiencing.Hardware Security Modules represent another specialized requirement. These devices store and protect cryptographic keys, requiring semiconductors built to strict security standards. Unlike general-purpose processors, HSMs must meet specific compliance requirements while handling cryptographic operations at scale. Every blockchain network that processes sensitive transactions needs this type of hardware infrastructure.Infineon Technologies offers a practical example with their NFC cryptochips that combine blockchain verification with physical products. You can attach these chips to items and scan them to authenticate origins, creating a bridge between digital blockchain records and physical supply chains. This isn't theoretical; it's addressing real counterfeiting problems with measurable hardware requirements.The technical demands go deeper than most realize. Blockchain networks require nodes that can process and verify transactions continuously, demanding consistent computational power rather than the burst processing typical of many applications. This sustained load creates different thermal and reliability requirements for the underlying semiconductors.The Foundry ResponseMajor manufacturers aren't waiting to see how this plays out. TSMC has implemented blockchain technology within its own supply chain operations, tracking components from raw materials through finished products. When the world's largest semiconductor foundry adopts blockchain for internal operations, that tells you something about both the technology's maturity and the hardware demands it creates.IBM and Samsung's collaboration on blockchain-based component tracking represents another significant development. They're building platforms that require substantial processing power to handle supply chain verification across multiple manufacturing partners. Each verification operation demands computational resources, multiplying hardware requirements as adoption scales.The industry has committed $185 billion in capital expenditures for 2025, expanding manufacturing capacity by 7%. While AI applications capture headlines, blockchain infrastructure contributes to demand pressures driving these investments. TSMC expects its AI server processor revenue to triple in 2024, reflecting how blockchain and AI applications often converge on similar hardware requirements.Manufacturing processes themselves are adapting to include blockchain verification layers. This creates additional computational overhead during production, requiring more processing power throughout the manufacturing workflow. It's a feedback loop where blockchain adoption drives chip demand while simultaneously being integrated into chip production processes.Securing the Chain That Builds the ChipsThe semiconductor industry faces a $75 billion problem with substandard components entering global markets. Blockchain applications are addressing this directly by tracking manufacturing equipment and components throughout production cycles. Manufacturing machines get registered on blockchain networks with unique identities, creating tamper-evident records of their performance and maintenance history.This approach reduces the manual burden of identifying counterfeit or substandard components. Instead of relying on post-production testing and documentation review, blockchain verification can flag issues during manufacturing. The computational requirements for maintaining these verification networks add another layer to semiconductor demand.Supply chain security applications demonstrate blockchain's practical value beyond financial transactions. When you can track a chip from raw silicon through final assembly with cryptographic certainty, you're solving real problems that cost the industry billions annually. This creates sustainable demand for blockchain infrastructure rather than speculative applications.Beyond the Hype CurveIndustry projections show semiconductor sales reaching $697 billion in 2025 - an 11% year-over-year increase - with expectations of hitting $1 trillion by 2030. Blockchain infrastructure represents a meaningful portion of this growth, though it's often overshadowed by AI applications in market analysis.The sustainability of blockchain's semiconductor demand depends on practical applications rather than speculative projects. Supply chain verification, secure authentication systems, and infrastructure applications that solve measurable problems will drive continued hardware requirements. Gaming platforms, financial networks, and enterprise verification systems all represent sustained demand sources.Manufacturing capacity constraints affect blockchain infrastructure deployment just like other applications. The 7% capacity expansion planned for 2025 addresses multiple growth drivers simultaneously, with blockchain contributing to demand pressures alongside AI, automotive electronics, and traditional computing applications.Current capital expenditure commitments total $185 billion across the industry, but this may not adequately address combined demand from AI and blockchain applications. Lead times for advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment often exceed two years, meaning today's capacity decisions determine 2027's supply capabilities.The Semiconductor StakesWhile AI dominates technology headlines, blockchain infrastructure creates parallel demand streams that compound manufacturing pressure. 70% of executives expecting a significant blockchain impact aren't responding to speculation - they're planning for technical requirements they can measure and quantify.We're approaching an inflection point where blockchain applications prove their practical value while requiring substantial hardware infrastructure. Supply chain security, authentication systems, and verification networks all demand specialized semiconductors that didn't exist five years ago. The industry faces a dual challenge: scaling production capacity while implementing the very blockchain technologies that help secure that scaling process.The 2028 market projections provide a concrete checkpoint for these predictions. Whether blockchain infrastructure delivers on its $1.5 billion semiconductor market potential depends on the continued adoption of practical applications that solve real problems rather than speculative use cases.

As generative AI and edge computing technologies continue to evolve, Edge AI has become a key driving force for industries pursuing smart transformation. Recognizing this opportunity, Silicon Application Corp. (SAC) Group, a subsidiary of WPG Holdings and a global leader in semiconductor component distribution, announced today that it has obtained exclusive distribution rights for Axelera AI - an emerging European Edge AI chip company - in the Asia-Pacific region. The two parties will collaborate to combine SAC's strengths in supply chain integration with Axelera AI's technological innovation, aiming to help equipment manufacturers accelerate the development of Edge AI devices, enable independent software vendors (ISVs) to innovate more rapidly, and enhance the capabilities of system integrators (SIs) in deploying their smart applications."To promote the widespread adoption of AI, we launched the global partner program - the Axelera Partner Accelerator Network Program. We are pleased to have WPG Holdings' SAC Group as our core strategic partner in the Asia-Pacific region, working together to accelerate the implementation and application of Edge AI solutions," said John Wilkins, Global Channel Sales Director at Axelera AI. Wilkins pointed out that SAC brings deep technical resources, long-standing customer relationships, and a strong commitment to innovation - qualities that make them the ideal partner to bring our transformative AI technologies to broader markets. Through our partnership with SAC, we believe that equipment manufacturers, SIs, and ISVs will be able to adopt Axelera AI's highly flexible, high-performance, and scalable Edge AI solutions more quickly. This will shorten development cycles from proof of concept to mass production, and accelerate the deployment of smart applications from edge to cloud across various fields such as security surveillance, drones, retail, healthcare, and industrial automation.""The SAC Group's vision of promoting smart applications through Edge AI aligns perfectly with Axelera AI's core mission of driving the widespread adoption of AI technologies," said Lawrence Chang, Vice President of Tactical Development BU at WPG Holdings' SAC Group. He noted that many of the product lines currently distributed by SAC already support Edge AI applications, spanning diverse scenarios such as smart manufacturing, smart buildings, and in-vehicle systems. This collaboration will further enhance and complete SAC's Edge AI product portfolio. Looking ahead, SAC will continue to strengthen its technical support capabilities, offering customers end-to-end services - from early-stage evaluation and product selection recommendations to system integration testing. This will help clients adopt Edge AI technologies and solutions more efficiently, as they move together toward a fully intelligent AI-driven future."In the first half of 2025, WPG Holdings achieved the highest global revenue among semiconductor distributors and has consistently led the industry in technological investment related to computing chips," said Eddie Chou, Senior Project Director in the CEO Office at WPG Holdings. Since the rapid rise of AI in 2023, WPG Holdings has launched an AI acceleration initiative focused on three core areas. On the product front, the company has expanded its AI product portfolio to meet growing customer demand and has been recognized by over 30 suppliers of AI-related chips - including those specializing in compute, power management, and other critical components supporting AI applications. It is now fully capable of providing a complete range of hardware and resources required for AI servers and data centres. In terms of services, WPG Holdings has trained its sales teams to gain a deep understanding of AI project requirements. In addition to basic component support, it now offers advanced, integrated sales services for system-level servers and AI computing power management. From an investment perspective, WPG Holdings has participated in strategic investments in advanced-process IC design, helping more strategic partners build a thriving and collaborative AI ecosystem. Aspiring to become a key player in the AI industry chain, WPG Holdings' reliable partnership with Axelera AI serves as a concrete step toward realizing a mutually beneficial and prosperous future for the whole industry.