ATE PURCHASE ALERT $Advanced Semiconductor Engineering(ASX.US) <> ADVANTEST
Recent ASE filing discloses ATE equipment orders from Advantest totaling ~$210M cumulatively over the last 4 months.Source: Chips & Wafers
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The board of Sigurd Microelectronics, the chip packaging firm, approved NT$2 billion (US$62M) more for capex this year, raising the total to NT$8.8 billion from NT$5.9 billion previously, media report. New spending will be aimed at AI chip testing equipment. $Teradyne(TER.US) $Camtek(CAMT.US) $Formfactor(FORM.US) #semiconductors
Source: Dan Nystedt
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TSMC’s hometown in Japan is building the ‘Kumamoto Science Park’ and has already inked an MOU to work with Taiwan’s Hsinchu Science Park to cooperate in semiconductors, startup development, industrial exchange, supply chain resilience and more, media report, adding Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) also signed an MOU to work with the science park to strengthen industrial, academic and research kinks between Taiwan and Japan. $Taiwan Semiconductor(TSM.US) #semiconductors #SciencePark #Kumamoto
Source: Dan Nystedt
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China’s DRAM makers will double production capacity by 2030 led by CXMT, media report, citing Goldman Sachs. The report says China’s memory makers are focusing on 3D DRAM due to restrictions to their purchase of EUV lithography machines. $ASML(ASML.US) $SK Hynix(SKHY.US) $SSNLF $Micron Tech(MU.US) #semiconductors
Source: Dan Nystedt
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Nvidia raised graphics card prices again, 20%-30%, due to rising memory chip prices, media report, the 3rd hike this year. $NVIDIA(NVDA.US) $AMD(AMD.US) $Micron Tech(MU.US) $SK Hynix(SKHY.US) $SSNLF #gaming
Source: Dan Nystedt
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MediaTek and Qualcomm are both raising prices on smartphone chips in the 3rd quarter due to rising costs across the supply chain – including wafers, packaging materials, services, etc. – caused by the AI data center build out, media report, with MediaTek price increases already in place and Qualcomm’s due Sep. 1.
-MediaTek’s latest Dimensity 9600 Pro chip, made on TSMC’s 2nm process, rumored at US$216 per chip, up 8%-20% vs Dimensity 9500. -Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, also TSMC N2, is said to cost over $300 each, aimed at high end handsets. -Smartphone prices are already starting to rise. $Qualcomm(QCOM.US) $Taiwan Semiconductor(TSM.US) $Advanced Semiconductor Engineering(ASX.US) $Amkor Tech(AMKR.US) #Mediatek #semiconductorsSource: Dan Nystedt
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Taiwan’s semiconductor industry will account for 24.34% of Taiwan’s total power consumption in 2030, up from 17.71% this year, media report, citing state-run Taipower. That means 80 billion kWh by 2030, from 52 billion kWh this year. By 2035, the semiconductor industry’s power use will hit 110 billion kWh, or 30.38% of Taiwan’s electricity. TSMC, the biggest chip maker in Taiwan, operates 19 advanced fabs and packaging plants in Taiwan now, with 13 more under construction across Taiwan. $Taiwan Semiconductor(TSM.US) $United Microelectronics(UMC.US) $Micron Tech(MU.US) $Advanced Semiconductor Engineering(ASX.US) #semiconductors
Source: Dan Nystedt
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Rumor: Delta Electronics inked a US$2 billion deal with Infineon (Germany) to supply SiC (Silicon Carbide), a key material for Nvidia’s 800VDC power architecture for AI data centers, media report. If true, the LTA would signal a rumored delay in Nvidia 800VDC was wrong, and industry has already started to secure supplies of SiC. $NVIDIA(NVDA.US) $STMicroelectronics NV(STM.US) $ON Semiconductor(ON.US) $Infineon Technologies(IFNNY.US) $Wolfspeed(WOLF.US) #ROHM
Source: Dan Nystedt
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Nvidia’s first 'Made in USA' GB300 AI chips have rolled off the line at TSMC Arizona, media report, noting CoWoS advanced packaging will be the final step to fully localizing the GB300. The 4nm chip is also known as Grace Blackwell Ultra. $NVIDIA(NVDA.US) $Taiwan Semiconductor(TSM.US) $Amkor Tech(AMKR.US) #semiconductors #Arizona
Source: Dan Nystedt
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TSMC’s first 2nm fab hit a production milestone of 20,000 wafers-per-month (wpm), the best among 5 fabs ramping 2nm capacity in Taiwan, media report, citing unnamed industry sources. Fab 20 in Hsinchu sits by TSMC’s main R&D fab, giving it a prime position in the rollout of new process technologies. Analysts are optimistic the strong 2nm ramp up along with a diverse group of customers, from AI accelerators and smartphone chips, to CPUs and GPUs. $Taiwan Semiconductor(TSM.US) $Apple(AAPL.US) $AMD(AMD.US) $Qualcomm(QCOM.US) #Mediatek
Source: Dan Nystedt
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AMD’s new Venice processor and Instinct MI455X GPU are both in production at TSMC on 2nm, media report, adding AMD plans to have TSMC Arizona produce Venice as well (when fab ready). Both chips will use CoWoS-L advanced packaging.
Since CoWoS-L capacity remains tight, some orders for CoW to be done by ASE instead. AMD’s MI455X and subsequent AI accelerator chips will use SoIC packaging (for 3D hybrid bonding), which SoIC capacity seen hitting 15,000-20,000 wafers per month by end-2026. The MI455X uses SoIC to stack compute dies on top of 3nm Fabric and Cache dies (FCDs) before using CoWoS-L to connect them to HBM4 memory.SoIC: System on Integrated ChipsCoWoS-L: Chip on Wafer on Substrate-LSI (Local Silicon Interconnect) $AMD(AMD.US) $Taiwan Semiconductor(TSM.US) $Advanced Semiconductor Engineering(ASX.US)Source: Dan Nystedt
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Tesla’s first 2nm chip by TSMC to be made in Arizona, the AI6.5 chip, media report:
-AI5 chip optimized for Optimus/cars in mass production at TSMC by mid-2027-Global Unichip (GUC) is a design partner for AI5 $Tesla(TSLA.US) $Taiwan Semiconductor(TSM.US) #semiconductorsSource: Dan Nystedt
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TSMC’s 3nm process enjoys visibility through 2027 as the chip foundry wins more orders, media report, noting 3nm remains fully loaded now:
-Qualcomm: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Samsung Galaxy (foldable) on TSMC N3P-Tesla: AI5 chip optimized for Optimus/cars in mass production by mid-2027-Optimus success and volume rampup would be boon to TSMC $Qualcomm(QCOM.US) $Taiwan Semiconductor(TSM.US) $Tesla(TSLA.US) #semiconductorsSource: Dan Nystedt
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$BESI orders are impressive:
Source: Chips & Wafers
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Bullish for OSATs and Advanced Packaging, a lot of the $BESI order uptick is for OSATs:
Source: Chips & Wafers
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Apple’s foldable iPhone is incredibly difficult to mass produce, and supply chain partner Foxconn is making final adjustments to the production process now, media report, adding the schedule remains unchanged for the device to debut at Apple’s September launch event. $Apple(AAPL.US) #Foxconn #iPhone
Source: Dan Nystedt
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89 semiconductor wafer fab construction projects are in “concrete” planning stages and expected to be built between 2026 – 2030 to meet demand for the global AI build-out, and an additional 50 fabs could be built between 2030 – 2035 as chip demand broadens, said SEMI Taiwan President Terry Tsao. #semiconductors
Source: Dan Nystedt
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Interview: Chairman of AI server giant Wistron, Simon Lin in Texas for AI server plant opening, media report:
-Wistron capex will hit NT$60 billion this year and increase again next year-Revenue growth will continue-Future factory expansion will focus on the Taiwan and the US (Texas)-Taiwan will remain Wistron’s primary manufacturing base-USMCA is no guarantee of protection against tariffs, as affiliate Wiwynn had to pay tariffs anyway, making US investments necessary-“Nobody in the AI industry believes there’s an AI bubble.”Why Wistron chose Texas:- efficient permitting/construction approval- business friendly local government- solid infrastructure - reliable power - logistics - engineering talent - proximity to major AI customers- these qualities help more than subsidiesSource: Dan Nystedt
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Taiwan’s June export orders rose 59.4% year-on-year to US$95.26 billion, a record high and topping expectations for 47.3% growth, media report:
-Orders for electronics goods +79.9% to $40.5B-IT/communications +81.9% to $34.15B-The US led all nations +83.6% to $38.66B-In 1st half 2026, export orders +50.9% to $504.1B, an all-time-high.Source: Dan Nystedt
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Nanya Technology, Taiwan’s top memory chip maker, said its new NT$500 billion (US$15.5B) Taishan fab will open early next year and help it close the gap with bigger memory chip makers, media report, adding it will be the 1st Nanya fab to use EUV lithography.
Nanya is also developing custom AI Ultra-Wide-I/O memory chips as a potential substitute for HBM for Edge AI, while it is also developing Wafer-on-Wafer (WoW) production technology. $ASML(ASML.US) $Micron Tech(MU.US) $SK Hynix(SKHY.US) $SSNLF #semiconductorSource: Dan Nystedt
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A former TSMC deputy manager was recruited by a Communist Chinese Party spy to steal semiconductor trade secrets and establish a new firm in China, China Semiconductor Materials Analysis Co. (CSMAC), media report, adding prosecutors are seeking a 7-year sentence for Mr. Chen for the theft of 21 items from TSMC considered trade secrets, and other violations of the National Security Act. $Taiwan Semiconductor(TSM.US) #semiconductors
Source: Dan Nystedt
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AMD’s latest chips made using TSMC’s 2nm production will debut this week at AMD Advancing AI 2026 conference (July 22-23), media report:
Venice: 2nm server CPUInstinct MI450, MI455: 2nm AI accelerators to compete with Nvidia RubinInstinct MI550 (rumored 4-compute-die design, with advanced 3D packaging): AI accelerator to compete with Rubin Ultra $AMD(AMD.US) $NVIDIA(NVDA.US) $Intel(INTC.US) $Taiwan Semiconductor(TSM.US)Source: Dan Nystedt
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SpaceX has placed its first orders for Nvidia GB300-based AI servers to Taiwan’s Foxconn, amid plans by Elon Musk’s company to buy 13,000 of them in all, worth an estimated US$52 billion, ($4M each), media report, citing unnamed industry sources. It’s the first time SpaceX has turned to Foxconn for production. Foxconn provides server assembly services to nearly all major US hyperscalers. $SpaceX(SPCX.US) $NVIDIA(NVDA.US) $Amazon(AMZN.US) $Alphabet(GOOGL.US) $Microsoft(MSFT.US) $Meta Platforms(META.US) #Foxconn
Source: Dan Nystedt
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UMC, Taiwan’s 2nd biggest chip foundry, is looking to expand a fab in south Taiwan due to an overflow of advanced packaging and specialty AI-related orders (silicon interposers, DTC) from Qualcomm, Intel and SanDisk, media report, noting new plans for UMC’s Fab 12A P7 near Tainan, Taiwan, are under evaluation. Orders for power management chips (PMICs) for AI products are also booming.
UMC is working with Qualcomm on silicon interposers, DTC (deep trench capacitors), and wafer-to wafer hybrid bonding, while Intel and UMC have partnered on 12nm FinFET, and the UMC-SanDisk cooperation is for memory chip stacking. The story cites unnamed industry sources. $United Microelectronics(UMC.US) $Qualcomm(QCOM.US) $Sandisk(SNDK.US) $Intel(INTC.US) #semiconductorsSource: Dan Nystedt
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TSMC and other high energy users may soon see costs rise: Taiwan lawmakers will on Wednesday (7/22) review a proposal to require major electricity consumers (TSMC is the biggest) to install their own power supply for 5MW or more power contracts, media report, noting around 400 companies in semiconductors, AI data centers, optoelectronics, and more will be affected. The idea is to avoid straining Taiwan’s power grid. $Taiwan Semiconductor(TSM.US) $United Microelectronics(UMC.US) $Advanced Semiconductor Engineering(ASX.US) $Bloom Energy(BE.US) $GE Aerospace(GE.US) #semiconductors
Source: Dan Nystedt