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Friday 18 April 2025

Micron challenges South Korean dominance in HBM market amid tariff protectionism

Recently, reports from South Korea claim that Micron is set to become a rising star in the HBM market, following Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Although Donald Trump's current policies remain unclear, many in the South Korean industry predict that the US will adopt strict protectionist measures for its semiconductor industry. As a result, Micron, being a US company, is likely to benefit.

Friday 18 April 2025

Beyond retaliation: How tariff escalation is reshaping global supply chains

With President Trump threatening tariffs on Chinese goods as high as 245%, China signals it will no longer play along — raising fears of lasting damage to global trade.

Friday 18 April 2025

7 key things TSMC CEO CC Wei revealed about AI, US expansion, and tariff risks

TSMC delivered a strong first-quarter 2025 earnings call, raising its full-year revenue forecast and reinforcing its position as a key player in the AI-driven chipmaking boom. The market was particularly impressed by TSMC's second quarter forecast and that the company has not revised downward its full-year revenue outlook despite recent tariff and AI ban challenges. Despite macroeconomic uncertainties, TSMC maintains its projection of nearly 25% growth in US dollar revenue for 2025, surpassing the overall wafer manufacturing industry's growth rate.

Friday 18 April 2025

China tightens noose on US chips—with a twist that splits the industry

As US-China tariff tensions intensify, Beijing is taking aim at American-made semiconductors with new origin rules that could redraw the global chip supply map.

Friday 18 April 2025

C Sun poised to join US semiconductor expansion wave

C Sun Manufacturing is showcasing its advanced semiconductor, PCB, and panel-level packaging (PLP) equipment at Touch Taiwan 2025, emphasizing continued growth despite mounting concerns over US semiconductor tariffs. The company, a key player in CoWoS and 2.5D/3D packaging equipment, is strategically aligning with global foundry expansion plans, particularly in the US and Europe.

Friday 18 April 2025

SEMI reports 10% growth in global semiconductor equipment sales in 2024, reach record of US$117.1 billion

SEMI announced on April 16 that global semiconductor manufacturing equipment sales will grow by 10% in 2024, reaching a total of US$117.1 billion, up from US$106.3 billion in 2023.

Friday 18 April 2025

Supply chain remains cautious as TSMC's confidence boost proves limited

On April 17, TSMC reported that there were no significant changes in its growth momentum and investment plans. The company stressed that customers have not made any adjustments in terms of market demand. However, this perspective seems overly optimistic to the market, as the current lack of change is primarily due to customers being on standby and is unlikely to persist.

Friday 18 April 2025

Trump signals swift semiconductor tariffs, but Department of Commerce probe slows rollout

The Trump administration continues to signal that a new semiconductor tariff policy is on the horizon. President Donald Trump indicated that a formal decision might be announced this week. Global markets are closely watching these developments due to the potential implications for the tech sector and international trade.

Friday 18 April 2025

Manz bolsters CoPoS innovation in Taiwan, eyes US expansion

Manz, a pioneering company in semiconductor equipment, is ramping up its efforts to advance Chip-on-Panel-on-Substrate (CoPoS) technology, aiming for commercialization and broader application potential. Robert Lin, general manager of Manz Asia, disclosed that the company has set up a Semiconductor Innovation R&D Center in Taoyuan, Taiwan. This cutting-edge facility is designed to accommodate both experimental work and large-scale production of CoPoS redistribution layer (RDL) equipment.

Friday 18 April 2025

The Great Tech Reset 14: Taiwan's tech edge; a fragile lifeline in a ruthless geopolitical game

In the competitive landscape of international politics, possessing a discreet advantage can be the decisive factor between asserting dominance and succumbing to external pressures. Nations like Ukraine, lacking a strong hand, often find themselves vulnerable to geopolitical machinations. Taiwan, balanced on this tightrope, must lean on its tech prowess as its ultimate shield.

Friday 18 April 2025

TSMC to base 30% of future sub-2nm production in US, says chairman C.C. Wei

Speaking during TSMC's first-quarter 2025 earnings conference, Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei emphasized that the company's decision to expand in the US was driven primarily by strong customer demand—not by political pressure.

Friday 18 April 2025

Nvidia H20 China export ban creates uncertainty in server market

The US has imposed new restrictions on the export of Nvidia's H20 chip shipments to China.

Friday 18 April 2025

France's CEA-Leti targets AI hardware bottlenecks with silicon photonics, GaN innovations

France's CEA-Leti, a leading European semiconductor research institute, outlined ambitious strategies to address critical AI hardware bottlenecks through advanced silicon photonics, 3D integration, and wide bandgap technologies during a high-profile event with Taiwanese industry leaders.

Thursday 17 April 2025

TSMC denies Intel tie-up, announces CoWoS capacity doubling for 2025 AI boom

Despite weaker smartphone sales and mounting geopolitical risks, TSMC remains unfazed. Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei reaffirmed the chipmaker's strong 2025 outlook during its latest earnings call, brushing off speculation about softening AI demand and denying rumors of a potential lifeline for Intel.

Thursday 17 April 2025

Taiwanese tech leaders shift to US production, betting on automation

Amid rising geopolitical tensions, Taiwan's leading tech manufacturers, including Foxconn, Quanta, Wistron, Wiwynn, and Inventec, are accelerating investments to expand production in the US. However, with higher labor costs and tougher regulations in the US, these companies are turning to advanced automation to stay competitive and maintain operational efficiency.

Thursday 17 April 2025

TSMC meets expectations in 1Q25 with a 35.3% YoY increase

Benefiting from the continued high demand for 5/4/3nm processes and strong customer orders, TSMC reported that despite being affected by an earthquake in January, its first-quarter performance still met expectations. TSMC's revenue for the first quarter of 2025 was approximately US$25.53 billion, reflecting a quarter-over-quarter decrease of 5.1%, but representing a year-over-year increase of 35.3%.

Thursday 17 April 2025

Beijing targets 'Made in USA' chips as trade war turns surgical

The US-China trade war is stuck in a deadlock, with both governments refusing to back down. Beijing's early defiance—vowing to "fight to the end"—gave way to silence after Washington announced tariff hikes reaching 145%, signaling a tactical recalibration by Chinese authorities.

Thursday 17 April 2025

Southern Taiwan Science Park sees strong January-February revenue, aims to break NT$3 trillion in 2025

Benefiting from the 3nm process, the Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP) saw its revenue reach a record-breaking NT$2.21 trillion (approx. US$68.23 billion) in 2024, surpassing the NT$2 trillion mark for the first time. It also marks the second consecutive year the park has outperformed the Hsinchu Science and Industrial Park, maintaining its top spot among Taiwan's major science parks by revenue.

Thursday 17 April 2025

Nvidia H20 export restrictions: local AI chips in China see opening

Following Nvidia's announcement of its latest production plans in the US, the company has received notification from the US Department of Commerce (DOC) that its downgraded H20 products will face export controls when shipped to China. While this news is unfavorable for Chinese cloud service providers, industry sources believe most clients have already prepared contingency plans.

Thursday 17 April 2025

Innolux CEO responds to FOPLP delays

Innolux, a major display panel maker, is intensifying its push into Fan-Out Panel Level Packaging (FOPLP), a next-gen semiconductor packaging technology. While the company is positioning itself as a serious contender, skeptics question whether the display industry's process precision and technical maturity are sufficient for advanced packaging demands.

Thursday 17 April 2025

Collateral damage in chip war: Intel and TI suffer, AMD rises

The US Department of Commerce has confirmed that lower-spec AI chips—such as Nvidia's H20 and AMD's MI308—now require export licenses for shipment to China. The move signals a tightening of export controls, previously focused only on high-end GPUs.

Thursday 17 April 2025

Jack Ma's resurgence: Who stands to gain from Trump 2.0?

China's economy has endured a series of profound shocks, beginning with the stringent pandemic lockdowns, followed by the collapse of Evergrande and the financial crisis at Country Garden Holdings. These crises triggered a significant decline in societal wealth and caused urban real estate prices to fall, resulting in numerous incomplete construction projects. These challenges present complex problems that are difficult to resolve.

Thursday 17 April 2025

ASML to pass tariff costs to US customers, gain three High NA EUV customers

After disclosing that it would discontinue quarterly order reporting starting in the second quarter of 2025, ASML executives highlighted in their latest earnings call that tariff uncertainty is hindering their ability to forecast full-year impact amid US chip reshoring efforts. Despite this, ASML anticipates China to represent over 25% of its 2025 sales, driven by DUV system demand and a diversifying customer base beyond top chipmakers.

Thursday 17 April 2025

Taiwan's AI server supply chain strains under pressure as TSMC expands US commitments

Taiwan's tech giants are grappling with rising costs and logistical hurdles as they follow TSMC into the US, responding to pressure from Washington to localize advanced semiconductor manufacturing. While TSMC pushes forward with its Arizona fabs, Taiwanese server makers—including Foxconn, Quanta, Wistron, Gigabyte, and Asus—are facing high setup costs, labor shortages, and union negotiations as they ramp up their US operations.

Thursday 17 April 2025

AMD sees US$800 million charge from export curbs on AI chips

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. said it expects to take a charge of as much as US$800 million after the Trump administration put new restrictions on semiconductor exports to China.

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