CONNECT WITH US
Friday 21 November 2025
US moves to bar CHIPS Act recipients from purchasing Chinese chipmaking equipment for 10 years
US lawmakers are advancing bipartisan legislation to prohibit companies receiving federal semiconductor subsidies from purchasing chipmaking equipment manufactured in China for the next decade. The proposal aims to harden supply chain security and ensure that American tax dollars do not indirectly strengthen Beijing's technology sector.
Friday 21 November 2025
Taiwan foundry and tech manufacturing remains irreplaceable as exports surge
The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) announced on November 20 that Taiwan's export orders reached US$69.37 billion in October 2025, down slightly by US$850 million or 1.2% from September but up significantly by US$13.92 billion, or 25.1%, compared to the same month of 2024. In New Taiwan dollars, this represents a 19.4% increase year-over-year. Cumulative export orders from January to October 2025 nearly hit US$600 billion, marking a 22.6% annual growth.
Friday 21 November 2025
TSMC in sight: Samsung seen hitting 21,000 wafers by 2026
Samsung Electronics is reportedly planning to raise the monthly output of its next-generation 2nm foundry process to as many as 21,000 wafers by the end of 2026, according to new industry projections. The increase would represent a 163% jump from 2024 and could significantly narrow the company's long-standing performance and capacity gap with TSMC.
Friday 21 November 2025
Intel dismisses trade-secret claims involving former TSMC executive as Taiwan probe continues
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has rejected reports that a new company hire brought confidential TSMC information into the US chipmaker, calling the allegations unfounded.
Friday 21 November 2025
Sumitomo Chemical to acquire Taiwanese semiconductor cleaning agent maker
Sumitomo Chemical announced it will acquire all shares of Asia Union Electronic Chemical Corp, a Taiwanese manufacturer of semiconductor cleaning agents, with the deal expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The transaction amount has not been officially disclosed but is estimated at around JPY10 billion (approx. US$63.85 million), according to Nikkei Asia.
Friday 21 November 2025
Nvidia's strong quarter lifts markets, but the AI bubble question still lingers

Nvidia's record third-quarter earnings provided rare relief for markets facing rising geopolitical risks. Jensen Huang remained characteristically optimistic, once again rejecting claims that artificial intelligence (AI) is drifting toward a bubble. He highlighted the overwhelming demand for Blackwell chips and cloud GPUs, which continue to sell out across major customers, as evidence of lasting momentum.

Friday 21 November 2025
Samsung Electronics maintains dual-CEO structure in 2026 executive reshuffle
Samsung Electronics' 2026 executive reshuffle reinforces its dual-CEO structure, maintaining continuity in mobile and memory leadership while appointing top technology experts to accelerate AI, semiconductor, and advanced research, signaling a strategic focus on long-term innovation and competitiveness amid intensifying global industry pressures.
Friday 21 November 2025
WinWay to build IC test factory in Arizona by 2026
Taiwan-based integrated circuit (IC) test solution provider WinWay is planning to establish a production facility in Arizona by 2026, a move that reflects shifting global strategies amid the evolving US manufacturing agenda and growing semiconductor demand. The company's expansion into the US market positions it within an emerging local semiconductor cluster and aims to better serve North American customers.
Friday 21 November 2025
ASE and SPIL draw attention as Nvidia pushes for expanded US packaging capacity
Nvidia reported strong third-quarter results for fiscal 2026 (ending October 2025), driven by robust sales of its Blackwell Ultra chips. Cloud data center revenue rose over 60% year-on-year. The company plans to expand local chip packaging and testing capacity in the US over the next four years, drawing significant attention from the semiconductor industry.
Friday 21 November 2025
Taiwan seeks to build its southern 'Silicon Valley' for AI boom
Nvidia's overseas headquarters is expected to be located at a technology park in Taipei, with the city government currently negotiating contract matters concerning the US tech giant's land rights for the new facility. Nvidia executives are also set to discuss follow-up investment plans with the city government soon.
Friday 21 November 2025
Huawei lifts Shenzhen to China's No. 2 chip design hub

China's latest IC design forecast projects Shenzhen's chip design revenue will reach CNY204.23 billion (approx. US$28.7 billion) in 2025, keeping it firmly in second place behind Shanghai. Its growth has outstripped other major tech centres in recent years, positioning the city as one of the fastest-rising semiconductor design hubs in the country.

Friday 21 November 2025
Apple reportedly boosts A19 chip orders amid strong iPhone 17 sales; TSMC adjusts production in response
Apple reportedly has increased its orders for A19 and A19 Pro series chips by 4 million to 5 million units over two months, fueled by robust demand for the iPhone 17 series in October and November 2025. This surge has led TSMC to modify its production capacity to accommodate Apple's growing device output.
Friday 21 November 2025
What does former TSMC SVP want to achieve in his return to Intel?
Wei-Jen Lo, former senior vice president of TSMC, joined Intel after retiring at age 75. He is expected to leverage his expertise in wafer fabrication, R&D, and supply chain management. His move sparked industry concerns over trade secrets and national security, but it will likely benefit Intel greatly.
Friday 21 November 2025
Samsung primes the ground for a major executive overhaul

Samsung Electronics has begun notifying senior executives nearing retirement, prompting expectations that its annual year-end management reshuffle is close. ChosunBiz and ZDNet Korea reported that Samsung began issuing retirement notices to selected executives on the morning of November 20. With the process underway, industry watchers expect the president-level reshuffle to be announced as early as November 21 or early next week.

Friday 21 November 2025
Fujifilm to build semiconductor materials factory in India, targeting regional exports
Fujifilm President Teiichi Goto announced on November 14, 2025, in Tokyo that the company plans to establish a semiconductor materials manufacturing facility in India. The factory is intended to supply the domestic market and serve neighboring countries, positioning India as a strategic production hub for the company's semiconductor business.
Thursday 20 November 2025
Musk eyes in-house chip fab, citing TSMC, Samsung fail to keep up with Tesla's AI ambitions
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed intentions to construct an in-house wafer fabrication facility, or TeraFab, to meet soaring AI chip demand that surpasses current industry manufacturing capabilities. In an interview with investor Ron Baron, Musk highlighted the company's expanding AI chip requirements and expressed concerns over reliance on external foundries such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Samsung Electronics.
Thursday 20 November 2025
Ligitek Electronics to invest in silicon photonics in cleanroom facilities with government support
Taiwan-based LED manufacturer Ligitek Electronics announced plans to enter the silicon photonics (SiPh) sector, investing tens of millions of New Taiwan dollars in cleanroom equipment and talent expansion by the first quarter of 2026. The company aims to diversify revenue streams by boosting contributions from invisible light, automotive, and engineering sectors while reducing dependence on LED components, projecting 2026 revenue to surpass that of 2025.
Thursday 20 November 2025
TSMC leak highlights risks of losing teams, says Pegatron chair
Recent reports of former Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) senior vice president Wei-jen Lo returning to Intel amid a 2-nanometer process leak have sparked industry concern.
Thursday 20 November 2025
ASML expands into advanced CoWoS packaging with new I-line system
Kuan-Cheng Hsu, ASML's Taiwan and Southeast Asia customer marketing head, highlighted that AI-driven semiconductor demand is entering its strongest growth cycle ever, accelerating global GDP contribution, advanced process development, and lithography breakthroughs.
Thursday 20 November 2025
Pegatron's T.H. Tung says memory price surge will not directly impact downstream foundries
Concerns over consumer electronics demand are increasing because of the memory price surge. Analysts warn that this could hurt the profits of downstream foundries. However, Pegatron Chairman T.H. Tung emphasized in an interview that memory price fluctuations have no direct impact on foundry profitability, and that Taiwan's electronics industry is well-experienced in handling such cyclical trends.
Thursday 20 November 2025
US approves advanced chips for Saudi Arabia to foster global AI hub
After months of negotiations, the US has approved the export of up to 70,000 advanced AI chips to Emirati firm G42 and Saudi Arabia's Humain, marking a major milestone for both Gulf nations as they ramp up their AI capabilities. Each company will receive computing power equivalent to 35,000 Nvidia GB300 processors. These chips are part of Nvidia's Blackwell series and arguably the most advanced AI chips currently available. The exports are contingent on strict security measures and reporting requirements, including provisions designed to prevent diversion to foreign adversaries or Chinese technology.
Thursday 20 November 2025
Taiwan vows to protect TSMC 2nm technology from possible leak
The appointment of former TSMC SVP of Corporate Strategy and Development Wei-Jen Lo to a senior position at Intel has raised concerns among legislators over potential trade secret leakage. Some lawmakers are advising the government to more strictly guard technologies, as Japanese and US companies are closely eyeing Taiwan's ability to mass-produce 2nm chips. Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs (MOEA), Ming-hsin Kung, reassured that key technologies will not be leaked.
Thursday 20 November 2025
Samsung invests US$1.9B in Austin plant to prep for Apple CIS chip production
Samsung Electronics planned a US$1.9 billion investment to upgrade its wafer foundry in Austin, Texas, aiming to produce Apple's next-generation CIS chips starting late 2026. The Austin City Council will vote on extending Samsung's eligibility for local tax incentives by November 20, 2025.
Thursday 20 November 2025
Samsung's Austin chip plant surges to record 3Q25 profit, exceeding full-year 2024 earnings
Samsung Electronics posted a sharp rebound at its Austin semiconductor plant in the third quarter of 2025. The results signal renewed momentum for the company's US foundry operations following several loss-making quarters.
Thursday 20 November 2025
Nvidia partners with Amkor, SPIL, and Menlo Micro to boost US IC backend capacity
Nvidia has announced key partnerships to expand its supply chain and manufacturing capacity in the US, aiming to meet rising global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) computing chips. The company is collaborating with Amkor Technology and Taiwan's SPIL to scale up domestic packaging operations, alongside launching a new testing chip technology with startup Menlo Micro.