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Monday 9 February 2026
Advanced chip testing demand climbs; KYEC consolidates global lead, steps up local recruitment
King Yuan Electronics Co. (KYEC) held its year-end banquet, where chairman C.K. Lee said that collaboration with employees, customers, and suppliers has positioned the company as a major chip testing provider in the global semiconductor supply chain. Advanced chip testing has become the core driver of business growth. The company has expanded beyond being a major employer in Miaoli, with total headcount exceeding 8,600.
Monday 9 February 2026
Weekly news roundup: chips, software, geopolitics reshape tech
Below are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories from the week of February 2-9, 2026.
Monday 9 February 2026
Takaichi's election victory clears path for Japan's chip sovereignty, military buildup
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's decisive victory in the lower house election has strengthened her government's ability to advance policies tied to economic security, bringing renewed attention to the future direction of Japan's semiconductor and defense technology agenda.
Monday 9 February 2026
North American clients drive 2026 growth as CHPT targets quarterly gains
Taiwan-based test interface maker Chunghwa Precision Test Tech (CHPT) expects steady revenue growth through 2026, driven by rising AI ASIC orders and expanded capacity, as stronger visibility in AI demand helps offset pressures from memory shortages and higher component prices affecting smartphones and consumer electronics.
Monday 9 February 2026
MediaTek to be early adopter of TSMC 2nm, A14 processes, focuses on boosting AI computing power
MediaTek president and chief operating officer Joe Chen stated that artificial intelligence (AI) computing is shifting from training to inference applications, with rapid growth expected across cloud data centers and various edge devices. He noted that following the rise of generative AI and agentic AI, physical AI is also anticipated to see more mature applications and development within the next two to three years.
Monday 9 February 2026
India, Malaysia forge strategic pact on chips, energy and digital payments
India and Malaysia used Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to Kuala Lumpur to signal a step-change in their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, unveiling wide-ranging cooperation across semiconductors, clean energy, digital finance, and security that carries implications for supply chains, the Indo-Pacific balance, and South–South economic integration.
Monday 9 February 2026
India's semiconductor push shifts focus under ISM 2.0 from fabs to design, equipment and IP
According to The Economic Times, India's Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 2.0 will prioritise chip design companies and startups, followed by building a domestic ecosystem for semiconductor equipment and materials, and strengthening the talent pipeline to support end-to-end semiconductor development.
Monday 9 February 2026
Tower Semiconductor, Nvidia advance 1.6T optical modules for AI data center networking

Tower Semiconductor is expanding into AI data center infrastructure through a collaboration with Nvidia on 1.6T optical modules, positioning silicon photonics as a key technology for high-speed AI networking.

Monday 9 February 2026
TSMC supports Japan's advanced packaging plant construction
TSMC chairman C.C. Wei recently visited Japan and appeared alongside Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to jointly announce that Kumamoto Fab 2 will be upgraded from a 6nm to a 3nm process, signaling Japan's plan to reclaim its semiconductor glory. However, according to supply chain sources, when the Japanese government first invited TSMC to build fabs in Kumamoto, it had already mapped out three major strategies that included advancing advanced packaging and constructing new facilities. Most importantly, Japan aims to leverage its strengths in equipment and materials to reinforce its critical position and bargaining power in the advanced packaging industry chain.
Monday 9 February 2026
Taiwan posts fastest growth in 15 years as AI boom drowns out hollowing-out fears
Taiwan's economy expanded 8.63% in 2025, its strongest growth in 15 years, as the island's semiconductor-driven supply chain continued to underpin global demand for AI computing. Minister of Economic Affairs Ming-hsin Kung said on February 5 that despite a high base effect from the previous year, Taiwan is expected to maintain resilience and flexibility into 2026.
Monday 9 February 2026
India roundup: India's annual budget to boost AI and chip ecosystem
India unveils the latest Union Budget, which includes India Semiconductor Mission 2.0, to boost chip incentives. The Trump Administration announced a reduced 18% tariff on India as India diversifies trade partners.
Monday 9 February 2026
CSP orders and space economy fuel strong start to 2026 for Taiwan's supply chain
Rising investments in AI data centers and an intensifying global push to build large-scale satellite networks are rapidly transforming Taiwan's technology supply chain, delivering a powerful start to 2026. From advanced cooling solutions and ASIC thermal modules to satellite communications components and semiconductor testing services, companies such as Microloops, Universal Microwave Technology (UMT), and MSScorps are seeing demand surge, translating into record revenues and strengthening growth visibility for the year ahead.
Monday 9 February 2026
Musk flags manufacturing bottlenecks, floats 'TeraFab' as chip supply strains
Elon Musk said the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence is running up against hard limits in global manufacturing capacity, as chip production, power equipment and industrial supply chains struggle to scale fast enough to meet surging demand.
Monday 9 February 2026
India advances semiconductor ambitions as TSMC fabricates DLI-backed startup chips
India marked a milestone in its semiconductor push as seven chip designs from startups under the design-linked incentive (DLI) scheme were successfully fabricated, including advanced nodes at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC). The progress underscores India's aim to develop indigenous chip design and manufacturing capabilities amid global supply constraints.
Sunday 8 February 2026
Silicon Motion posts strong Q4 results, forecasts continued growth in 2026

Silicon Motion Technology, a leading global supplier of NAND flash controllers, reported robust financial results for the fourth quarter of 2025, driven by broad-based product growth and expanding market share across key segments.

Sunday 8 February 2026
Record Japan blizzard threatens AI chip supply chains
A record-breaking blizzard driven by extreme weather has battered Japan's northern Aomori Prefecture, dumping snow at more than two and a half times the historical average. The storm has claimed lives, paralyzed local commerce, and raised fresh concerns about the resilience of global technology supply chains.
Sunday 8 February 2026
GlobalFoundries reinvent wafer services by integrating IP to meet evolving market demands
The traditional wafer foundry model is transforming as leading foundries increasingly incorporate intellectual property (IP) into mature technology nodes to address economic pressures and shifting customer needs. Nearly four decades after TSMC founder Morris Chang separated chip design from wafer manufacturing, foundries are evolving from mere silicon suppliers into broader infrastructure providers offering extended platform support.
Saturday 7 February 2026
A close reading of the book behind TSMC's Japan bet
TSMC's decision to bring 3nm manufacturing to Japan is often explained in terms of subsidies and diversification. A better explanation sits in a book written five years ago by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi—one that C.C. Wei chose to endorse in public when the deal was finally unveiled. That book offers a useful guide to why TSMC's 3nm future is being built in Kumamoto.
Saturday 7 February 2026
RISC-V CEO highlights open architecture's edge-to-cloud potential
The RISC-V ecosystem is making steady progress across various application fields, from cloud high-performance computing to automotive electronics. Industry players are launching solutions targeting these areas while actively expanding into future-oriented sectors like robotics and space exploration.
Friday 6 February 2026
South Korean president meets conglomerate chiefs as Samsung, others pledge US$186b in regional investments

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung recently convened a meeting at the Blue House titled the "Corporate Roundtable on Youth Employment and Expanded Regional Investment," bringing together leaders from the country's 10 largest conglomerates, including Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor and LG Group, along with representatives from the financial sector. Lee urged companies to work with the government to promote youth employment, entrepreneurship and more balanced regional development.

Friday 6 February 2026
India's 2026–27 budget signals systemic overhaul for manufacturing, semiconductors, and digital investment
India's Union Budget for fiscal year 2026–27, unveiled on February 1, 2026, emphasizes manufacturing, semiconductors, and AI-linked infrastructure as central pillars of economic growth. The measures aim to strengthen supply chains, reduce import dependence, and institutionalize compliance frameworks for both domestic and foreign investors.
Friday 6 February 2026
Transcend sees 4x revenue surge in January 2026 as memory prices rise
Memory module maker Transcend Information reported a record high monthly consolidated revenue of NT$4.76 billion (US$150.4 million) in January 2026, driven by soaring demand for AI servers, large-scale industrial control shipments, and steadily rising memory prices.
Friday 6 February 2026
Samsung foundry said to plan 10% price hike for 4nm, 8nm nodes
Samsung Electronics' foundry business is reportedly preparing price increases for certain process technologies, including 4nm and 8nm nodes, with hikes reportedly around 10%. Despite the adjustment, Samsung is expected to maintain a pricing advantage over TSMC as TSMC continues to raise its own wafer prices.
Friday 6 February 2026
TSMC’s 3nm bet in Japan signals a deeper Taiwan-Japan tech pact
To meet the surging demand driven by AI, TSMC is upgrading its second wafer fab under construction in Kumamoto, Japan, to use more advanced 3nm process technology. This development was personally conveyed by TSMC chairman C.C. Wei to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Friday 6 February 2026
Samsung vows 130% growth in 2nm orders, eyes major customers besides Tesla
The global competition for advanced wafer foundry processes is intensifying, with Samsung Electronics recently announcing that its 2nm process will focus on artificial intelligence (AI) chips. The company projects a more than 130% increase in 2nm order volume in 2026 compared to 2025, signaling an aggressive push to catch up with TSMC.