DIGITIMES Semiconductors: IC manufacturing news

Home Tech Semiconductors IC manufacturing

Wednesday 11 February 2026

Rapidus aims for 2nm ramp in FY2027 with fourfold capacity boost

Rapidus is expected to begin full-scale production in fiscal 2028. Mass production of 2nm-class chips is scheduled to commence in the second half of fiscal 2027, according to Kyoto News. The company's business plan, submitted to Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, outlines a strategy to enter volume production in late fiscal 2027. The plan calls for expanding output approximately fourfold within the first year of operation.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

The Arizona Fixer and the R&D Architect: TSMC’s new SVP duo step into spotlight

TSMC's board held its first meeting in Kumamoto, Japan, where it approved the promotion of Y.L. Wang and T.S. Chang to senior vice presidents (SVPs), marking a significant leadership transition within the company. The meeting followed an earlier session in Arizona, US, in 2025, and also saw Yuan-Guo Huang promoted to vice president overseeing procurement after Wen-Ru Li's departure.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

GPTC management shakeup raises concerns over TSMC, ASE, Micron orders

Grand Process Technology Corporation (GPTC), a key wet process equipment supplier in the supply chains of TSMC, ASE, and Micron, posted record consolidated revenue of NT$6.514 billion (approx. US$207.5 million) in 2025, up 59.93% year-over-year, with profits expected to hit new highs as well. However, January 2026 revenue unexpectedly plunged 47.7% from December's peak to NT$527 million, though it still rose 42% year-over-year. GPTC attributed the drop to delayed customer shipments affecting revenue recognition, but maintained that full-year momentum remains stable and upward.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

ByteDance reportedly in talks with Samsung on chip development amid US Nvidia curbs

China's ByteDance is developing an artificial intelligence (AI) chip and is in talks with Samsung Electronics to manufacture it, Reuters reported, citing two people familiar with the matter, as the TikTok parent seeks to secure a supply of advanced processors.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

TSMC supplier AblePrint sees January 2026 revenue jump 142% on AI chips packaging boom

Taiwan-based AblePrint Technology, a key supplier of advanced packaging defoaming equipment for major clients including TSMC, reported record-breaking performance despite earlier regulatory scrutiny. In January 2026, the company's revenue reached NT$304 million (US$9.65 million), up 50.44% month-on-month and 142% year-over-year, marking its highest single-month revenue ever.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

Netherlands' China-hawk cabinet signals tighter grip on chip tech

Europe's technology security posture toward China is tightening. The Netherlands is emerging as an early indicator. A new Dutch cabinet dominated by China hawks signals tighter export controls, stricter investment screening, and deeper coordination with US and allied technology-security frameworks. The shift carries potential spillover effects across semiconductor supply chains and EU industrial policy.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

Taiwan Premier Cho affirms commitment to advance energy infrastructure

Taiwan Premier Jung-tai Cho stressed the government's commitment to industry in his remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony on February 10 for the Advanced Semiconductor R&D Base at the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), saying that Taiwan bears responsibilities to the global supply chain, and any pause in Taiwan's industrial sector could disrupt supplies worldwide.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

Singapore to boost semiconductors and photonics under RIE 2030

As demand for higher transmission performance rises alongside the expansion of artificial intelligence and data centers, the 2026 Asia Photonics Expo (APE 2026), held in Singapore, underscored the deepening convergence between the semiconductor and photonics industries. Against this backdrop, DIGITIMES interviewed Sukumar Verma, managing director of Informa Markets Singapore, on development trends shaping the city-state's high-tech sector.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

TSMC Japan expansion mirrors broader Taiwan tech retreat from China

C. C. Wei, chairman and chief executive of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, announced that the company's 3-nanometer manufacturing technology will be deployed in Japan, marking another major overseas expansion following its investment in advanced fabrication in the US. By contrast, TSMC's plant in Nanjing will remain focused on advanced mature and specialty processes, primarily at the 12- and 16-nanometer nodes.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

ASE focuses on Malaysia expansion, ADI plant acquisition expected to close in 2Q26

After US President Donald Trump took office, he vigorously promoted the reshoring of the chip manufacturing supply chain, prompting some Taiwanese companies to shift the focus of their overseas expansion from previously favored new hubs in Southeast Asia to Arizona, where TSMC is located. Dr. Tien Wu, chief operating officer of ASE Technology Holding, said that the group's future overseas manufacturing footprint will still center on Penang, Malaysia, with the Philippines and South Korea serving as complementary bases, targeting automotive and robotics orders from global IDM customers.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

Silan raises device prices about 10% from March, signaling wider cost pass-through

On February 9, 2026, Hangzhou Silan Microelectronics said that it will raise prices on certain device product categories by about 10% on average starting March 1, 2026, citing severe global metal price volatility and sustained increases in the cost of precious metals used in wafer processing.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

TSMC equipment donation split between two institutes as TSRI expansion hits roadblock

TSMC's donation of 12-inch wafer fabrication equipment is being divided between two government research facilities, with the Taiwan Semiconductor Research Institute (TSRI) and the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) each receiving separate allocations. While ITRI successfully held its groundbreaking ceremony on February 10, 2026, TSRI's expansion plans have stalled due to a land ownership dispute with National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), forcing officials to consider relocating the project to southern Taiwan.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

Taiwan to embrace advanced nuclear energy tech to secure energy and computing edge

Taiwan's Executive Yuan announced on February 10, 2026, that the government will fully embrace advanced new nuclear technologies worldwide, including small modular reactors (SMRs). This marks a significant shift in its longstanding non-nuclear policy amid rising challenges from climate change, energy security, and surging AI-driven electricity demand.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

Why SMIC’s full fabs don’t guarantee fatter profits

China's largest contract chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) reported a resilient fourth quarter and record full-year results for 2025, supported by accelerating domestic chip localization and sustained demand for mature-node capacity.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

Taiwan breaks ground on 12-inch semiconductor R&D base at ITRI, backed by TSMC equipment donations

Taiwan has launched construction of a new 12-inch semiconductor pilot production platform at the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), aiming to strengthen the island's advanced R&D capabilities while lowering development and verification barriers for startups and small-to-medium IC design firms.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

Samsung schedules Feb. 25 Unpacked as Galaxy S26 launch comes into view

Samsung Electronics has set February 25, 2026, for its next Galaxy Unpacked event, returning to San Francisco to unveil what it describes as a "new phase" in mobile computing.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

SMIC breaks 2025 revenue record, margins fall to 19.2%

On February 10, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) reported record 2025 revenues, but quarterly gross margins fell to 19.2%. The decline, driven by heavy depreciation costs and shifting smartphone supply chain dynamics, underscores the financial pressure of aggressive capacity expansion despite sustained high utilization across manufacturing facilities.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

DIGITIMES Insight: Intel 14A delays expose cracks in AI infrastructure expectations

Intel's 14A process node has become a focal point for the semiconductor industry, with market observers viewing it as a critical test of the company's manufacturing resurgence strategy. The advanced node has attracted significant attention amid speculation that major customers like Apple and Nvidia could adopt it for high-volume production. However, recent developments suggest these optimistic timelines may need recalibration.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

Amazon and STMicroelectronics expand collaboration on data center chips

Amazon is deepening its partnership with STMicroelectronics, expanding a multiyear, multibillion-dollar collaboration aimed at developing specialized chips for data center infrastructure, as cloud computing giants race to improve performance and energy efficiency amid surging demand.

Wednesday 11 February 2026

Taiwan exports exceed NT$2 trillion in January, memory shortage escalates

Taiwan's Ministry of Finance (MOF) announced on February 9, 2026, that Taiwan's exports in January 2026 hit a record high, surpassing NT$2 trillion (US$63.4 billion) for the first time, up 69.9% year-on-year. Strong demand for AI servers, ongoing memory shortages, and the competitiveness of Taiwan's semiconductor products drove the surge.

Tuesday 10 February 2026

TSMC deepens its lead with a US$45 billion 2026 investment plan and a generational reshuffle

Riding a year of extraordinary growth powered by the AI boom, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) has approved a 2026 strategy that couples record capital spending with one of the most consequential management reshuffles in its history. The board's decisions underscore how aggressively the world's largest contract chipmaker intends to widen its technological and organizational lead.

Tuesday 10 February 2026

Renesas turns to China and India for recovery after first net loss in six years

Renesas Electronics recorded its first net loss in six years in fiscal 2025, reflecting weak demand for automotive semiconductors and a limited contribution from AI-related products. The company is recalibrating its strategy, with India and China positioned as key pillars in its recovery roadmap.

Tuesday 10 February 2026

Vanguard sees modest recovery as capacity use rises in early 2026

Vanguard International Semiconductor (VIS) reported consolidated revenue of NT$4.01 billion (approx. US$127 million) in January 2026, reflecting a decline in wafer shipments. The figure was down 18.6% from December 2025, when revenue totaled NT$4.93 billion, but up 18.4% from a year earlier, underscoring uneven but improving demand conditions.

Tuesday 10 February 2026

Analysis: Japan's supermajority reshapes Asia's semiconductor competition

Japan's latest election is being read by global markets as a turning point in industrial policy, capital flows, and technology sovereignty across Asia — not a routine political cycle. Following the February 2026 lower house election, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party secured 316 seats, crossing the two-thirds threshold and delivering one of the strongest mandates in postwar Japan. The broader ruling bloc with the Japan Innovation Party reached about 352 seats, giving the coalition effective legislative control in the 464-seat chamber.

Tuesday 10 February 2026

US plans chip tariff breaks for tech giants tied to TSMC's US expansion

The Trump administration is preparing to spare major US technology companies from a new round of semiconductor tariffs as they expand data center capacity to support the artificial intelligence boom, according to the Financial Times. The plan would grant tariff carve-outs to US hyperscalers, including Amazon, Google and Microsoft, with relief tied to the scale of TSMC's US investment commitments and projected production capacity. TSMC is the world's largest contract chipmaker.

More IC manufacturing coverage