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Friday 12 December 2025
Huawei and YMTC expand into South Korea’s consumer SSD market following Micron’s exit

Huawei is moving to capitalize on a tightening consumer solid-state drive (SSD) market in South Korea, introducing new products this month as established suppliers raise prices and Micron prepares to exit the segment. The shift, driven by surging demand for enterprise products supporting artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, is pushing South Korean PC makers to seek alternative suppliers, potentially opening the door for Chinese brands.

Friday 12 December 2025
Phison sets 3 supply strategies amid NAND shortage and wafer price surge
Cloud giants' aggressive procurement of high-capacity enterprise SSDs has triggered a structural shortage and price surge in the NAND Flash market. In China, spot prices for 512Gb and larger NAND chips rose more than 100% in fourth quarter 2025, with NAND manufacturers maintaining their stance on further price hikes.
Friday 12 December 2025
Advantest unveils next-gen memory handler for AI, targets customer rollout in 2Q26
Japanese semiconductor test equipment manufacturer Advantest has announced the launch of a next-generation memory handler, designed specifically for high-performance memory components used in artificial intelligence (AI) applications. The product has already attracted interest from several major memory makers and is slated to begin shipments in the second quarter of 2026, meeting customer demands for performance, automation, and cost efficiency.
Friday 12 December 2025
Huawei–SMIC chip hits milestone, still lags TSMC’s 5nm

China is accelerating its semiconductor capabilities through technical gains at Huawei and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp.(SMIC) while simultaneously mandating the use of domestic processors across state sectors to circumvent US export controls.

Friday 12 December 2025
Samsung reportedly accelerates Pyeongtaek expansion to ramp up HBM4 and 1c DRAM production

Samsung Electronics is reportedly accelerating construction at its Pyeongtaek semiconductor complex to expand production of next-generation high-bandwidth memory, aiming to secure supply for global cloud providers and AI chipmakers as demand intensifies. The company has reportedly approved plans to convert additional space in its P4 fab into dedicated 1c DRAM lines and has advanced completion dates for key production zones, according to Korean media reports.

Friday 12 December 2025
Samsung's TM Roh to reportedly hold surprise CES meeting with Micron CEO on DRAM supply
Samsung Electronics is reportedly preparing for urgent negotiations with Micron Technology at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, as surging mobile DRAM prices and tightening supply threaten to disrupt production plans for the upcoming Galaxy S26, according to South Korean media reports.
Thursday 11 December 2025
AI boom drives memory surge: squeezes Switch 2 margins, pushes up PC prices
Nintendo's stock price has fallen by 20% since reaching a recent peak in August 2025, mainly due to the artificial intelligence (AI) surge that pushed memory prices used in the Nintendo Switch 2 gaming console up by 40%, putting significant pressure on its profit margins. In response to the rapidly increasing semiconductor demand driven by AI infrastructure expansion, the electronics and home appliance supply chains have also started feeling noticeable impacts.
Thursday 11 December 2025
South Korea targets new fabs, HBM leadership, fabless revamp in US$468bn chip push
South Korea has unveiled an expansive semiconductor strategy to secure its lead in next-generation memory and revive weaker segments such as logic chips and the domestic fabless sector. President Lee Jae-myung chaired a high-level government meeting with Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and policymakers, underscoring the urgency of reinforcing national competitiveness as global demand for AI semiconductors surges.
Thursday 11 December 2025
SK Hynix reaps largest benefits from H200 export approval
US President Donald Trump has allowed Nvidia's H200 chips to be exported to China, benefiting Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. iNews24 and IT Chosun reported that with the high likelihood that Chinese AI companies will see increased chip demand, the US easing of restrictions is expected to boost H200 shipments. SK Hynix is reportedly the primary supplier of the fifth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM3E) used in the H200, meaning its supply volume will inevitably rise, making it the biggest beneficiary.
Thursday 11 December 2025
Acter Group sees strong order growth as semiconductor and memory expand
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.
Wednesday 10 December 2025
Nvidia H200 clearance paves the way for HBM3E in China
The Trump administration has authorized exports of Nvidia's H200 artificial intelligence processors to China, a decision that analysts view as a partial concession allowing restricted chip sales while still blocking Chinese access to Nvidia's upcoming Blackwell line.
Wednesday 10 December 2025
Planet Technology maintains margins despite rising memory costs
Planet Technology reported solid profitability through the first three quarters of 2025, maintaining a gross margin above 46% despite currency pressure. Chairman Jack Chen said recent memory price increases are expected to have little impact on the company because memory accounts for a small portion of its overall cost structure.
Wednesday 10 December 2025
SK Hynix says no decision yet on potential US ADR listing of treasury shares
SK Hynix is considering listing its treasury shares on the US market via American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) but has not made a final decision, the company said. This statement follows Korean media reports suggesting a US listing for about 2.4% of its treasury shares.
Wednesday 10 December 2025
Taiwan signals openness to US chip targets on condition of support
As 2025 nears its end, negotiations over the US Section 232 tariffs closely tied to Taiwan's semiconductor and ICT exports remain unresolved. The US government's expectation of a "50-50 chip split" has yet to receive a commitment from Taiwan. However, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te recently sent a positive message in an interview with US media, stating that Taiwan is willing to assist the US in chip production, and that if the US provides policy support, achieving the "50-50 chip split" goal is possible. This marks a significant shift in the government's stance toward US expectations based on mutual benefits.
Tuesday 9 December 2025
Google and Microsoft prioritize speed over cost as CSPs scramble for memory
A major memory shortage is hitting the industry as the supply-demand gap widens. Some upstream memory manufacturers are prioritizing server shipments, while other companies have been aggressively stockpiling due to shortages. Among US-based CSPs, Google and Microsoft have moved the fastest and come out on top. The four major US CSPs have recently begun product validation with Nanya Technology, intending to diversify DDR4 DIMM module supply beyond Korean memory suppliers.
Tuesday 9 December 2025
YMTC sues US govt to overturn Chinese military-company designation
YMTC filed a lawsuit on December 5, 2025, in the US District Court in Washington, challenging the US Department of Defense's decision to label it as linked to the Chinese military, asking the court to block enforcement of the listing and overturn the designation.
Tuesday 9 December 2025
Samsung moves up Pyeongtaek Phase 4 timeline in aggressive HBM4 push
Samsung Electronics, fresh off completing sixth-generation HBM4 development, is reportedly accelerating DRAM capacity expansion in a renewed effort to reclaim leadership in AI memory.
Tuesday 9 December 2025
SK Hynix pivots to general-purpose DRAM with tenfold 1c capacity surge
Rumors have risen that SK Hynix is accelerating the expansion of its 10nm-class sixth-generation 1c DRAM capacity. Previously, to concentrate on producing high-bandwidth memory (HBM), SK Hynix had successively notified major customers that it would reduce general-purpose DRAM supply. However, now that general-purpose DRAM prices have risen sharply, the company's strategy also appears to be undergoing adjustments.
Tuesday 9 December 2025
Commentary: Are East Asia tensions a threat to supply chains?
The Indo-Pacific region has become the world's most critical theater for both technology manufacturing and geopolitical competition. As military tensions escalate across East Asia, executives are increasingly questioning whether their supply chains can withstand potential disruptions.
Tuesday 9 December 2025
Samsung's HBM4 edge fuels foundry recovery
Samsung Electronics, with its sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM4), uses base dies produced by Samsung Foundry. As Samsung's HBM4 competitiveness rises, the market expects the performance of Samsung Foundry to improve in tandem. Increased HBM4 sales not only boost the memory business but also drive foundry revenue, demonstrating Samsung's advantage as an integrated device manufacturer (IDM).
Tuesday 9 December 2025
SK Hynix adopts hybrid bonding for 300-layer NAND to challenge Samsung
South Korean memory giant SK Hynix is fast-tracking the development of its next-generation 300-layer V10 NAND flash memory, according to reports in Korean media outlets Hankyung and Nate. The company plans to implement hybrid bonding technology for the first time to compete more effectively with rivals such as Samsung Electronics, China's YMTC, and Japan's Kioxia. Industry sources cited by Hankyung indicate that the company aims to complete development of a pilot line in 2026, before commencing mass production in early 2027.
Tuesday 9 December 2025
SK Hynix secures 39 patents in China to strengthen memory and neuromorphic chip design
SK Hynix and battery subsidiaries within SK Group received approval for 68 core patents in China in November 2025. Many of these patents relate to highly integrated memory designs and solid-state battery stability technologies, which are expected to accelerate the development of next-generation AI chips and electric vehicle batteries, enhancing competitiveness in the Chinese market.
Tuesday 9 December 2025
Catcher eyes cautious 1H26 amid memory and chip supply tightness
Chassis maker Catcher Technology stated that as the calendar moves into the year-end shopping season of 2025, promotional campaigns and a rebound in end-market demand are expected to support its business momentum.
Monday 8 December 2025
SK Hynix restructures global operations amid reported HBM4 production delay
SK Hynix announced a comprehensive organizational restructuring to expand its global research network and reinforce its leadership in the high-bandwidth memory sector. The strategic shift comes as a ZDNet Korea report indicates the South Korean chipmaker may postpone mass production of its next-generation HBM4 chips due to timeline changes for Nvidia's Rubin AI accelerators.
Monday 8 December 2025
Samsung reportedly gains momentum in foundry and memory with improved 4nm yields
Samsung Electronics is reportedly gaining momentum across its foundry and memory operations as higher yields on its 4nm process and a broad recovery in DRAM demand position the company for a strong finish to 2025. South Korean analysts expect operating profit to reach as much as KRW19 trillion (US$13 billion) in the fourth quarter of 2025, significantly above market expectations.