TSMC 3nm capacity still tight, prices seen rising 15% in second half of 2026

Despite TSMC having ramped up its 3nm monthly capacity to 160,000–175,000 wafers in the second quarter, it still cannot fully meet strong customer demand and order backlogs, according to supply chain sources. Industry insiders said TSMC is planning another price increase for 3nm foundry services in the second half of 2026, with hikes of up to 15%.

The Fab 18 complex in the Southern Taiwan Science Park remains TSMC’s primary production base for 3nm process technology. AI-driven demand is growing far faster than expected, and even with aggressive capacity expansion, supply gaps persist. The shortage of advanced process capacity has become one of the most prominent bottlenecks in the semiconductor supply chain today. [Icsmart, in Chinese]