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Tuesday 30 June 2026
AI hands foundries pricing power: TSMC leads, but the boom spreads industry-wide

AI demand in 2026 is no longer confined to GPUs, but is broadening into ASICs, networking, PMICs, and a wide range of peripheral ICs, tightening capacity across both 8-inch mature processes and 12-inch advanced nodes. CoWoS's advanced packaging and HBM capacity are also set for a prolonged supply shortage, effectively rewriting the foundry industry's business cycle.

Tuesday 30 June 2026
Samsung revives 1.4nm foundry push as 2029 timeline takes shape

Samsung Electronics is moving forward again on its 1.4nm foundry process, but on a slower schedule than originally planned, The Bell reported, citing industry sources.

Tuesday 30 June 2026
SK Hynix accelerates Yongin fab timeline by 12 years as HBM strains memory capacity
SK Hynix said on June 29 it will spend KRW1,100 trillion (approx. US$710 ​billion) across three sites in South Korea over the coming decades, accelerating its Yongin cluster timeline by 12 years as it warned that even faster construction will not be enough to meet projected AI memory demand.
Tuesday 30 June 2026
China's third-largest pure-play foundry's HK filing shows growth, but also rising risks

Nexchip Semiconductor has filed for a Hong Kong listing to fund expansion, following rapid revenue growth and a stronger market position. The prospectus highlights its scale in display driver chips and image sensors, while also warning investors about customer concentration, heavy capital needs, and exposure to shifting trade policy.

Tuesday 30 June 2026
South Korea looks to Taiwan as model for semiconductor decentralization
South Korea is overhauling its semiconductor manufacturing footprint to secure an edge in the AI era, drawing direct inspiration from a fierce competitor: Taiwan.
Tuesday 30 June 2026
Taiwan reportedly expands AI server smuggling probe, searches Supermicro and listed firms

Taiwanese prosecutors have reportedly expanded their investigation into the alleged illegal export of high-end AI servers to China, Hong Kong, and Macau, launching a second round of raids targeting Supermicro's Taiwan branch and two listed Taiwanese technology companies.

Tuesday 30 June 2026
Expected MCU price hike drives early 1H26 pull-ins

Microcontroller customers are accelerating shipments into the first half of 2026 as higher production costs ripple through the supply chain, with global implications for electronics pricing and availability. Industry sources said buyers are seeking to secure supply before further increases, while weak demand and AI-related capacity pressure continue to shape the market.

Tuesday 30 June 2026
Riken and Taiwan academia join forces on next-gen compound semiconductors
Japan's world-renowned Riken institute announced in late March 2026 that its homegrown superconducting quantum computer, "Ei-II," jointly developed with the University of Osaka, had officially gone online with 144 qubits and 99.9% fidelity. Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) said Riken will next work with Taiwan's academic community on research, including next-generation compound semiconductors.
Tuesday 30 June 2026
Samsung, SK Hynix step up CO₂ buying as supplies tighten
South Korea's inventories of high-purity carbon dioxide, a critical material used in advanced semiconductor manufacturing, have fallen below normal buffer levels, raising procurement concerns across the chip industry, according to The Elec.
Tuesday 30 June 2026
China's SiC race shifts from EVs to AI data centers as SICC overtakes Wolfspeed

China's silicon carbide (SiC) supply chain is finding a new growth engine as AI strains data-center power systems, extending a market long driven by electric vehicles.

Tuesday 30 June 2026
Intel-UMC tie-up talk runs into hard realities of process gaps and cash needs

Rumors in Taiwan's capital markets that United Microelectronics Corp. may deepen cooperation with Intel from 12nm to Intel 3 are drawing skepticism from DIGITIMES analyst Luke Lin. He said the main obstacles are the technology gap and Intel's internal capacity allocation, which make a near-term move commercially difficult.

Monday 29 June 2026
China's first diamond semiconductor supply chain project lands in Zhengzhou

China is accelerating its push into fourth-generation semiconductors, with the country's first fully integrated industrial project for ultra-wide-bandgap semiconductor materials set to be built in Zhengzhou. The project aims to strengthen domestic capabilities in diamond-based semiconductor materials for AI chips, advanced communications and electric vehicles, while expanding China's presence beyond silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN).

Monday 29 June 2026
AI demand drives Foundry 2.0 market revenue up 23% in 1Q26, says Counterpoint
Global revenue for the semiconductor industry's "Foundry 2.0" market reached US$86 billion in the first quarter of 2026, up 23% year-over-year, driven by strong demand for AI accelerators and advanced packaging, according to Counterpoint Research.
Monday 29 June 2026
Samsung could become HBM market share leader in 2027
Samsung Electronics could overtake SK Hynix in the global high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market in 2027, driven by the competitive edge of HBM4, the sixth generation of HBM. Market watchers also expect Samsung to expand 1c DRAM production for HBM4 while raising the latter's prices in 2027 to boost both market share and profitability.
Monday 29 June 2026
Samsung, SK Hynix to build KRW800 trillion chip hub in South Korea’s southwest

South Korea is pushing to establish a second national semiconductor production base in Gwangju and South Jeolla in the country's southwest, with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix planning to build two memory fabs each as part of a KRW800 trillion (approx. US$517.87 ​billion) national chip ecosystem project, Yonhap reported.

Monday 29 June 2026
SK Hynix sets up new strategy unit as HBM race intensifies
South Korean media report that SK Hynix has created a new memory strategy organization, a "Growth Strategy Department," to map out next-generation semiconductor strategy. The move is seen as an effort to reset its medium- to long-term plans in a rapidly shifting memory market and preserve its leadership position.
Monday 29 June 2026
Foxconn unit ShunSin confirms TSMC COUPE partnership; capex to hit NT$5 billion for CPO and OCS
ShunSin Technology Holdings, Foxconn's semiconductor packaging and testing subsidiary, is accelerating its transition toward co-packaged optics (CPO). The company's latest appointment of a former TSMC executive as an independent director by Chairman Chiang Shang-yi has also drawn industry attention to the commercialization progress of its high-speed optical transceiver business.
Monday 29 June 2026
Weekly news roundup: South Korea takes physical AI push from policy to practice; Europe aggressively pursues non-red supply chains
Below are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from the week of June 22-28, 2026:
Monday 29 June 2026
Potens expands into AI cooling and power markets, server revenue share hits double digits

With growing demand for AI server cooling and power management solutions, power semiconductor design company Potens reported that revenue from its server-related business has risen from 4.5% of total revenue in 2025 to 13.5%, a significant jump that reflects strong momentum in the segment. The company also remains optimistic about continued expansion in the AI, automotive, and motor control markets. Order transfers from Western manufacturers seeking to reduce reliance on China are also materializing.

Monday 29 June 2026
Hsinchu Science Park draws new semiconductor service investments as chipmaking shifts to advanced nodes

Taiwan's Hsinchu Science Park is still attracting semiconductor service companies even as major foundries run short of land, underscoring the park's role in a global supply chain centered on advanced chips. New approvals for testing, materials, and equipment research point to rising demand for services that support production at below 2nm nodes.

Monday 29 June 2026
Onsemi's Synaptics acquisition intensifies competition for physical AI leadership
Onsemi's acquisition of Synaptics underscores how global chipmakers are racing to build broader edge AI platforms, with implications that could ripple through data centers, industrial systems, and connected devices. The deal signals a push toward integrated hardware stacks amid intensifying worldwide competition across the AI supply chain.
Monday 29 June 2026
Taiwan electronics sector stays upbeat as AI demand lifts exports
Taiwan's electronics-machinery sector is heading into the second half of 2026 with cautious optimism, as global demand for AI infrastructure, high-end semiconductors, and cloud services continues to support trade. The latest survey suggests the benefits are spreading through supply chains, with implications for manufacturers and consumers worldwide.
Monday 29 June 2026
India roundup: Global tech giants deepen India investments
India is attracting fresh technology investment as global companies expand AI, cloud and semiconductor commitments, reinforcing the country's growing role as a strategic manufacturing and digital infrastructure hub.
Monday 29 June 2026
Niching targets higher margins as heat spreader orders extend through year-end
Advanced packaging is driving demand for heat spreaders, and semiconductor packaging and testing materials supplier Niching Industrial said its acquisition of Ming Chun Yuan Micro Precise Technology is expected to boost its revenue and profit structure, while order visibility from major customers, including leading packaging and testing companies, has extended to the end of the year.
Monday 29 June 2026
Jih Lin rides AI power demand to clip packaging
Jih Lin is seeing stronger business momentum as higher power consumption per AI server rack drives data-center power management toward 800V high-voltage direct current (HVDC) architectures, boosting the power semiconductor sector. The lead frame maker says its new-product transition is accelerating, with order visibility extending to 2027.