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Dec 29
Nvidia reportedly sets 4Q26 target for 16-high HBM supply
Nvidia has reportedly asked memory suppliers to prepare for the delivery of 16-high high-bandwidth memory by the second half of 2026, according to industry sources cited by South Korean media, including ET News and eNews Today. The request sets an aggressive timeline for a product that has yet to be commercialized.
As 2025 concludes, Taiwan's information and communication technology (ICT) and electronics sectors have experienced significant export growth driven by AI-related demand, particularly from the United States. This comes according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA). Despite record-breaking trade surpluses and rising foreign-exchange earnings, industry surveys indicate varying confidence about future prospects.
Samsung Electronics has begun supplying its advanced Exynos Auto V720 processor to BMW's iX3 electric vehicle, signaling the company's formal entry into the automotive semiconductor market, according to Hankyung and Yonhap News Agency. The chip, manufactured using a 5nm process, powers the in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system of BMW's new generation EV series, Neue Klasse.
Nvidia has reportedly informed its Chinese customers of its intention to deliver H200 AI chips by mid-February 2026, with shipments targeting 5,000 to 10,000 modules. This volume corresponds to approximately 40,000 to 80,000 H200 chips, signaling a significant step in Nvidia's efforts to supply China without disrupting its global distribution, Reuters reported.
Memory chip spot prices have witnessed unprecedented increases over the past year, driven by continuing shortages and supply chain adjustments. DDR4 16Gb modules have surged 18 times in price since the end of 2024, marking one of the steepest rises in recent memory market. Despite a modest cooling in buying activity toward the end of 2025, market observers anticipate that the strong upward pricing trend will persist well into 2026.
Memory prices are soaring as much as four to five times year-over-year. PC brand vendors that were originally expected to gradually finalize supply contracts with memory makers by the end of the third quarter of 2025 have, as of year-end, not had a single contract fully signed. Suppliers are tight on supply and unwilling to sign, and prices are also lacking consensus. Memory makers still have capacity, but demand far exceeds supply. Therefore, brand vendors must rely on their own capabilities. In facing this tough situation, the supply chain reports that memory makers are giving priority to Apple, Lenovo, Asus, and Dell.
A tightening supply of indium phosphide substrates is emerging as a bottleneck for artificial intelligence data centers and high-speed optical interconnects, prompting compound semiconductor supplier IntelliEPI to change how it operates as demand outpaces capacity.
The global semiconductor industry is on track to reach US$1 trillion in annual sales by 2026 as intense demand for artificial intelligence processors and advanced memory capacity drives a historic expansion. According to the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics organization, the market will be propelled by a 30% increase in revenue from AI chips, such as graphics processing units, along with rising prices for memory components. The surge reflects the rapid growth of large language models and the rise of sovereign AI initiatives that are forcing national governments to rethink their technology strategies.
According to South Korean technology outlet ZDNet Korea, SK hynix is reviewing plans to build its first 2.5D advanced packaging mass production line in the US, a move that would deepen the South Korean memory maker's role in supplying memory for artificial intelligence systems.

South Korea is on track to significantly increase semiconductor equipment investment in 2026 as rising demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and advanced DRAM drives a new wave of capacity expansion, positioning the country to overtake Taiwan and regain second place globally behind China.

The global 8-inch wafer foundry market has entered a price upcycle. Foundries, including SMIC and Hua Hong Semiconductor, along with major Taiwanese and South Korean mature-node players, have notified customers that 8-inch foundry prices are set to rise by around 5 to 10% starting in the first quarter of 2026, covering specialty processes such as BCD and high-voltage (HV) platforms.
On the afternoon of December 26, 2025, Wingtech Technology convened its fifth extraordinary shareholders' meeting of 2025, sending a resolute signal: the company is prepared not only to regain full control of Nexperia but also to pursue as much as US$8 billion in international arbitration claims.