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.

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.

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.

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.

The appointment of former TSMC SVP of Corporate Strategy and Development Wei-Ren Luo 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.

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.

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.

Amkor, one of the largest US-based outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) providers, has begun investing over KRW260 billion (approx. US$177 million) in South Korea to expand capacity for rising AI chip demand. The company said it will increase back-end production in Songdo, Incheon, where it already runs a key advanced packaging facility.

South Korea's Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) has launched a surprise investigation into Arm Holdings' Seoul office following a complaint by Qualcomm alleging abuse of market dominance. This move added another dimension to ongoing probes by US and European regulators into the licensing practices of the UK-based semiconductor IP provider, according to Seoul Economy and Reuters.

Taiwan's IC substrate makers anticipate a 10-20% supply gap of T-Glass material in 2026, prompting AI and memory customers to pursue long-term contracts to ensure capacity and stabilize revenue amidst shortages.