Semiconductor News 20260115

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1. TSMC Plans $150 B illion Capital Spending Over Next Three Years
   TSMC plans to invest $150 billion in capital expenditures over the next three years, with the focus on meeting AI demand. The investment in the Arizona plant is expected to bring a decade-long boom to related suppliers, and the company is turning the risk of overseas expansion into an opportunity. The company’s ability to supply miniaturization technology and advanced packaging is attracting global attention.
2. SK H ynix to Build New 19 Trillion Won HBM Plant in Cheongju
   SK Hynix plans to invest 19 trillion won to build a new advanced packaging plant in Cheongju, South Korea, to meet the rapidly growing demand for AI memory. The company also unveiled its 16-Hi HBM4 memory for AI accelerators. This offers 48GB capacity and 10GT/s bandwidth, and is expected to solidify the company’s dominance in the HBM market and be a powerful weapon to support further growth in 2026.
3. U.S. Government Clarifies Regulations for NVIDIA’s H200 Exports to China
   The U.S. government has opened specific conditional channels and clarified regulatory details for the export of NVIDIA’s H200 AI chip and other products to China. While this has led to some export approvals, there are reports that Chinese customs authorities have been instructed to block imports of the H200, and confusion continues on the ground. the game of play between the U.S. and China over AI hegemony has made clear the uncertain situation of regulation and relaxation in the logistics field for advanced semiconductors.
4. Local Production Ratio of Semiconductor Equipment in China Reaches 35%
   The local production ratio of semiconductor equipment in China has reached its target of 35% by 2025, driven by major companies such as AMEC, which is rapidly increasing its self-sufficiency in the domestic supply chain against US regulations. CXMT is also investing $4 billion to break its dominance in the DRAM market, and Chinese companies are accelerating their shift away from foreign dependence in everything from manufacturing to memory development, which is beginning to have an impact on the global semiconductor supply and demand structure.
5. Samsung Electronics to Adopt Mask Blanks Made in Korea for EUV Process
   Samsung Electronics plans to adopt mask blanks made in Korea for its next-generation EUV lithography process, replacing those made in Japan, which it had previously relied on. The company aims to reduce its dependence on Japan in the supply chain. By promoting the use of its own technologies, the company aims to optimize costs and build a stable supply system, and to regain a foothold in the advanced process market.
6. South Korea’s 2025 Semiconductor Exports Hit Record High of US$173.5 B illion
   South Korea’s 2025 semiconductor exports have hit a record high of US$173.5 billion, driven by growing AI-related demand, with SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics, and others shifting toward the lucrative server and HBM markets. The global memory chip market is set for a super-cycle. As the global memory chip market enters a super-cycle, the country’s massive investment in the semiconductor industry is a strong engine for growth in Korea’s export-driven economy.
7. Advanced Materials Manufacturing Facility in Space Launched to Improve Quality of Semiconductor Materials
   Aegis Aerospace and United Semiconductors have launched an advanced materials manufacturing facility in space. The facility will take advantage of an environment free from the effects of gravity to manufacture high-quality semiconductor materials that are difficult to manufacture on the ground. The space shift of manufacturing bases has now entered a new phase.
8. Spot Prices Soar as Memory “Super Cycle” Arrives
   The global memory chip market is entering a super cycle, and DRAM spot prices are soaring due to inventory constraints. Mainstream DDR4 prices have risen 10%, and as a result of the priority given to AI server applications, smartphone makers have been forced to cancel launches due to increased costs, and NVIDIA has had to change GPU specifications due to memory shortages. The competition for memory is having a serious impact on the supply and price of end products.
9. U.S. Department of Defense to Fully Deploy Elon Musk ‘s AI “Grok”
   The U.S. Department of Defense has decided to fully deploy Elon Musk’s AI “Grok”. Although there have been controversies over its content in the past, the decision was made in recognition of its utility in the military and security fields. Mr. Musk has also increased his involvement in international affairs with his own communications network and AI, including providing Starlink free of charge to Iran under an Internet blackout. The technology of private tech companies is having a direct impact on national defense and diplomacy.
10. Rohm and India’s Tata form strategic partnership in semiconductor business
    Rohm and India’s Tata Electronics have formed a strategic partnership in the semiconductor business. The two companies aim to jointly establish a semiconductor supply network for automotive and industrial equipment in the fast-growing Indian market. As India seeks to expand its semiconductor ecosystem, this partnership, which combines Japanese power semiconductor technology with local manufacturing capabilities, is a symbolic example of the global realignment movement toward building supply chains outside of China.

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