Synopsys is confronting intensified geopolitical and competitive pressure in China while affirming its long-term IP roadmap and deepening ties with Nvidia. The company outlined how US–China tensions, regulatory barriers and execution challenges are weighing on growth, even as it accelerates a strategic pivot toward physics-driven AI design with strong external support.
Synopsys reported solid revenue growth in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025, with sales surging nearly 38% year over year, while issuing an upbeat outlook for the first quarter and full year of 2026.
US regulators have introduced a new inspection protocol for Nvidia's H200 accelerators destined for China, requiring chips manufactured by TSMC to be shipped to the US for national security review before they can be re-exported. The unusual routing underscores Washington's effort to maintain visibility over advanced computing hardware as global memory shortages threaten to slow new data center deployments through 2027.
Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) said it has developed a nanoimprint template capable of producing 1.4nm chips using only one-tenth of the power required by extreme ultraviolet lithography tools.
PCB and semiconductor equipment manufacturer Ta Liang Technology reported a surge in orders as AI chip and AI server demand solidifies. Customers have been investing to expand capacity, driving demand for high-end CCD back-drilling machines, semiconductor advanced packaging measurement, and automated optical inspection (AOI) equipment to increase in 2025. This pushed cumulative revenue for the first 11 months of 2025 beyond the total for 2024, setting a record.
United Microelectronics (UMC) has opened an NT$1.8 billion (approx. US$58 million) circular economy center at its Tainan campus, launching an in-house facility that will convert semiconductor waste into reusable industrial materials as part of the company's long-term sustainability plan.
Given ODM manufacturers' expansion plans, there are no signs of an AI bubble. MiTAC plans to bring four factories online in 2026. Its new plant at the Linkou headquarters can flexibly adjust production according to its strong customer order demand.
A Dutch television investigation has raised fresh questions about the reach of ASML's technology inside China. According to a December 9, 2025, report by Nieuwsuur, at least one of ASML's customers is linked to the Chinese military.
Benefiting from solid order momentum across its technology and consumer-related business groups, cleanroom electromechanical integrator Acter Group posted consolidated revenue of NT$3.73 billion (US$119.6 million) in November 2025, up 20% year-over-year. Consolidated revenue for the first 11 months of 2025 reached NT$37.43 billion, up 41% year-over-year, with both setting new historical highs for the same period. Facility engineering projects for clients in semiconductors, electronic components, cloud computing, and general consumer sectors have been steadily recognized according to Acter's schedule. Demand for cleanroom upgrades and retrofits in existing factories continues to climb and increase business.
Realtek Semiconductor reported November 2025 revenue of NT$8.882 billion (approx. US$284.5 million), down 1.9% from October but up 1.8% year-over-year, marking the first month in 2025 in which revenue slipped below NT$9 billion (approx. US$288 million).
Recent reports suggest one big reason US President Donald Trump has allowed exports of Nvidia's H200 AI chips to China is Huawei's rapid rise in AI computing. Bloomberg cites multiple sources, stating that after White House officials reviewed Huawei's Ascend series chips and its CloudMatrix 384 AI-native cloud infrastructure platform, they concluded that Huawei's overall performance is now approaching Nvidia's advanced Blackwell-based NVL72 platform. This significantly reduces the need for a total ban on AI chip exports to China.
More coverage
