A venture capital fund backed by China's YMTC has acquired a stake in semiconductor manufacturer SOI Micro, boosting Beijing's push for domestic chipmaking alternatives using FD-SOI technology.
India has approved a $13.2 billion semiconductor program, Semicon 2.0, building on a previous $9 billion mission to develop a full chip ecosystem. The nation aims to become a major manufacturing hub by 2030, despite facing significant challenges in large-scale fabrication.
CXMT, China's memory chip champion, attracts heavy investment in its IPO, promising a high allotment rate and potential fourfold gain amid the AI-driven market boom.
China Life Insurance, backed by the state, is launching a 5 billion yuan ($737 million) fund to invest in semiconductor companies. This move aims to provide "patient capital" for the strategic industry amid global competition, aligning with national development goals.
China Life Insurance, backed by the State Council, is launching a 5 billion yuan ($737 million) fund to invest in semiconductor companies. This move aligns with China's call for 'patient capital' to support strategic emerging industries amid global competition.
A significant shortage of skilled workers could delay new US semiconductor plant construction and limit chip output, with a projected gap of 157,000 by 2030. This talent crunch threatens major investments by companies like TSMC and Samsung, impacting manufacturing and engineering roles. Sustained government support and expanded education are recommended to address this challenge.
German startup QuantumDiamonds has received €76 million in non-dilutive funding and €15 million in equity to develop semiconductor testing equipment. Leveraging quantum technology and synthetic diamonds, the company offers rapid defect detection, potentially saving chip manufacturers millions.
Korea's booming semiconductor sector masks a grim reality for small businesses. High inflation, interest rates, and a weak won are crushing domestic demand, leading to record closures, especially in the restaurant industry. Despite economic growth, self-employed workers face mounting debt and rising costs.
South Korea plans to establish a "Future Response Fund" using additional tax revenue from its booming semiconductor industry. The fund aims to support younger generations, address economic inequality, and invest in major national projects in semiconductors, AI, and data centers to boost long-term competitiveness.
ASML's EUV lithography systems, weighing 180 tonnes, are complex to ship and install, leading to skepticism over US concerns about potential shipments to China. The article distinguishes between DUV and EUV lithography technologies.
Donald Trump announced Apple will partner with Intel to design and manufacture chips in the US, aiming to rebuild the nation's semiconductor industry. The deal, revealed on Truth Social, is presented as a move to bring manufacturing back from overseas and diversify supply chains.
The price of high-purity tungsten hexafluoride has surged over 200% year-on-year to over 1,700 yuan ($251) per kg due to supply bottlenecks and rising demand from the semiconductor industry. Japanese producers Showa Denko Kanto and Central Glass plan production suspensions in July, potentially disrupting supply to major chipmakers like Samsung Electronics.
Chinese researchers, led by Huawei and multiple institutes, successfully conducted full-parameter post-training on a 1.6 trillion-parameter AI model using over 1,000 Huawei chips, enhancing China's AI self-reliance.
TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei stated the company is "not afraid" of competition from China, citing its manufacturing leadership. He reassured investors about TSMC's Nanjing plant and dismissed asset risks amid China's push for semiconductor self-sufficiency.
Chinese chip designer Loongson Technology has shipped more than 1 million units of its flagship desktop processor, marking a milestone for China’s efforts to build a self-sufficient semiconductor industry and move domestic central processing units (CPUs) beyond basic usability towards broader commercial adoption. The 3A6000 processor, designed for desktop computers, was built on Loongson’s self-developed LoongArch instruction set architecture, proprietary IP cores, and domestic manufacturing...
The founder of China’s largest contract chipmaker has urged the country’s semiconductor industry to pursue breakthroughs in niche markets such as mature chips, citing their importance for “supply chain security”. Richard Chang Rugin, 78, former CEO of Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), cautioned against blindly chasing industry hype around cutting-edge process nodes. The industry veteran stressed the value of investing in mature nodes and specialty processes, which accounted...
Geopolitical conflict in the Middle East has disrupted Asia's semiconductor industry by cutting supplies of naphtha, a key feedstock for photoresist used in chip manufacturing. The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed since early March, curtailing naphtha supplies essential for specialty chemicals. South Korea's Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are among the most exposed, with Japanese photoresist suppliers warning of looming raw material disruptions. Advanced chip nodes using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography are expected to be hit hardest.
