TSMC is reportedly planning another wafer foundry price increase, with supply chain sources saying its order visibility now extends to 2030. According to the sources, the company plans to adjust wafer prices from January 2027 across different processes, with hikes of about 3-6% as tight capacity and strong AI demand keep customers in line.
As AI applications expand rapidly across industries, testing and validation have become essential to moving innovation from R&D into real-world use. Gartner's latest forecast puts global AI spending at US$2.7 trillion in 2026, up 49.5%, and about US$3.6 trillion in 2027.
China is intensifying its push to replace foreign technology across critical computing infrastructure, targeting high-speed networking hardware alongside foreign AI accelerators.
China's two leading memory suppliers are moving to raise capital and expand output as demand for chips grows, a shift that could reshape the country's domestic supply chain. Their efforts reflect a new stage for the sector, but the long-term test will be whether fresh funding can translate into stronger technology, higher yields, and wider customer adoption.
Samsung Electronics' foundry recovery is gaining pace as higher utilization, firmer pricing, and stronger advanced-node demand improve earnings, but a sustained return to profit will depend on 2nm yields and how quickly its Taylor fab in Texas ramps production.
