Chinese RISC-V chip designer Nuclei System Technology has formally begun its IPO process, seeking fresh capital while heavy R&D spending continues to outweigh revenue despite gross margins above 80%.
In 2026, major smartphone system-on-chip (SoC) vendors began moving selected flagship processors to 2nm technology, seeking not only to secure sufficient capacity but also to deliver meaningful upgrades in technical specifications.
Nvidia and MediaTek have recently drawn market attention after Nvidia invested US$3.5 billion in MediaTek convertible bonds, expanding cooperation into custom AI chips, AI PCs, automotive, and data centers. But their overlap began more than 20 years ago, during competition in the PC chipset market, when MediaTek, ALi, ULi, and Nvidia were already connected.
As the silicon carbide (SiC) industry shifts from 6-inch to 8-inch wafer manufacturing, leading China-based substrate suppliers are taking a more disciplined approach to pricing and customer selection, seeking to protect margins and avoid a repeat of the severe price competition that has battered the 6-inch market.
After months of tight supply and sharp price increases in 2026, the global memory market is expected to see its supply-demand gap narrow significantly in 2027 as DRAM capacity expands and demand patterns shift, according to Beijing-based Sigmaintell Consulting. The consultancy expects the memory and broader semiconductor markets to continue growing through 2028, but forecasts a potential pullback in 2029 as evolving AI applications reshape demand.
