Combined revenue of Taiwan's top-3 pure-play foundries are expected to rise 17% on year to top US$60 billion in 2021, Digitimes Research estimates.
TSMC, UMC and VIS saw their combined revenue climb to a record high of US$52.69 billion in 2020, Digitimes Research has found.
The top-3 Taiwan-based foundries generated a combined US$14.58 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020, up 4.4% sequentially and hitting a record high. Their combined revenue is forecast to grow another 1.7% on quarter to US$14.83 billion in the first quarter of 2021, as demand propelled by coronavirus-induced stay-at-home initiatives remains strong. A pick-up in demand for automotive chips, as well as rising wafer ASPs, are other growth drivers.
In addition, TSMC, UMC and VIS will see their planned capex this year reach a combined US$28 billion, of which TSMC's account for the majority. In 2020, their combined capex came to US$18.3 billion - already a record high, according to Digitimes Research.