Semiconductor News 20260117

Main News

1. U.S. and Taiwan Agree on Tariff Agreement, $250 Billion in Investment Led by TSMC
   The United States and Taiwan have agreed on a new trade agreement that will reduce tariffs on Taiwan-made semiconductors from 20 percent to 15 percent. The agreement was reached in return for securing $250 billion in manufacturing investment in the U.S. by Taiwanese companies, led by TSMC. This framework, known as the “Taiwan model” under the Trump administration, is aimed at strengthening manufacturing capacity in the U.S. and has attracted attention as a move to balance geopolitical risk management and economic interests.
2. President Trump Imposes Additional 25% Tariff on AI Semiconductors
   U.S. President Trump has decided to impose an additional 25% import tariff on certain AI semiconductors under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. The measure is intended to encourage production in the United States. While Taiwan secured an exceptional reduction through negotiations, the tariffs are likely to increase costs for other countries and companies, especially as the cost of investment in AI infrastructure rises and pressure to restructure supply chains ripples throughout the industry.
3. TSMC Reports Record Earnings in Q4 20 25 Results
   TSMC’s Q4 2025 results show record highs in both revenue and net income, with surging demand for AI chips a strong driver of results.The CEO responded to concerns about an AI bubble by saying “demand is solid” and that the company will continue to make capital The CEO responded to concerns about an AI bubble by stating that “demand is solid” and that the company will continue to invest in capital equipment. Despite some uncertainties in the market, the company’s overwhelming technological superiority and production capacity clearly show that its structure is supporting the global AI boom from the hardware side.
4. Huawei Competing with NVIDIA in China’s AI Chip Market
   Huawei is reportedly gaining a share of China’s domestic AI chip market that rivals NVIDIA’s. As U.S. export restrictions make NVIDIA products more difficult to obtain, Chinese companies are switching to domestically produced chips, and Huawei is on the receiving end of this shift in market dynamics as we head toward 2026. China is accelerating its own AI ecosystem and moving toward technological independence.
5. NVIDIA Collaborates with Rapidus on Next-Generation GPU Development
   NVIDIA has announced plans to collaborate with Japan’s Rapidus as part of its strategy to speed up GPU design and manufacturing by leveraging its AI infrastructure. Rapidus is aiming to manufacture cutting-edge 2nm generation semiconductors, and cooperation with NVIDIA will be a major boost to the revival of Japan’s semiconductor industry. This collaboration is expected to diversify the supply chain for next-generation AI chips and increase process efficiency from design to manufacturing.
6. Qualcomm Negotiates Supply Contract Conditional on Samsung’s Adoption of 2nm
   Qualcomm is reportedly seeking a contract to supply all of its application processors for Galaxy on the condition that it places an order for Samsung Foundry’s 2nm process. Samsung is also planning to increase DRAM production in 2026, but the challenge is to win customers in the advanced logic area. On the other hand, Xiaomi has forsaken 2nm and opted for TSMC’s 3nm to cut costs, and the game over the balance between miniaturization and cost is intensifying.
7. SK Hynix Announces 5-Bit NAND with 20X Read Speed
   SK Hynix has announced a 5-bit NAND flash memory that uses a new technology to split cells. The new technology is expected to meet the demand for high-speed data processing in AI data centers. The company has also established a presence in the HBM market, demonstrating its technological leadership in the race to develop next-generation memory technology.
8. Soaring memory and storage prices and supply shortages due to AI demand
   Growing demand for AI server applications has caused storage prices, including HDDs and SSDs, to soar. Prices for high-capacity HDDs have risen an average of 46% since September, and NVMe SSDs are now as expensive as gold per weight. Memory shortages are also affecting GPU supply strategies, with Gigabyte’s CEO and others expressing concern. While this “super-cycle” is boosting corporate profits, the ripple effect on consumer products is becoming more severe.
9. China Accelerates Domestic Production of Photoresist to Reduce Dependence on Japan
   China is accelerating domestic production of photoresist, an essential material for semiconductor manufacturing. This is part of a national strategy to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers such as Japan and increase supply chain autonomy. In order to counter U.S. export restrictions, domestic production is being promoted not only in the area of manufacturing equipment but also in the area of materials, which may prompt structural changes in the global semiconductor materials market.
10. South Korea Seeks Preferential Tariff Treatment with U.S. Following the tariff agreement between the U.S. and Taiwan
    , the South Korean government is also seeking negotiations with the U.S. for similar preferential tariff treatment. Korean companies are also making large investments in the U.S., but in the absence of a clear agreement like Taiwan’s, there are concerns that they will be at a competitive disadvantage. In the face of a weakening won and increasing pressure to invest in the U.S., Korea is rushing to take diplomatic steps to maintain the competitiveness of its semiconductor industry, and a realignment of international trade rules is underway.

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