[News] Global Wafer Foundry Market Pattern Could be Reshaped

Amidst a complex international landscape and a sharply polarized end-market demand, the global foundry industry is entering a period of reorganization, marked by frequent personnel changes and merger rumors. Meanwhile, the development of advanced process technologies has picked up steam, while the mass production or trial production of 2nm chips is expected to begin this year, heralding a new era in semiconductor technology.

Samsung Reorganizes Foundry Division to Strengthen HBM Competitiveness

Recently, media reports revealed that Samsung Electronics’ Device Solutions (DS) division has posted a “regular recruitment” notice targeting personnel in its foundry division. Samsung plans to transfer a double-digit number of employees from its foundry business to the Memory Manufacturing Technology Center, the Semiconductor Research Institute, and the Global Manufacturing and Infrastructure Division.

Industry insiders revealed that the intention of this move is to enhance Samsung’s competitiveness in the HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) sector. By recruiting new staffs, the Semiconductor Research Institute aims to strengthen R&D leadership in HBM and packaging technology, while the Global Manufacturing and Infrastructure Division to enhance measurement, analysis, and equipment technology for HBM and new products. Samsung is reportedly striving to improve the quality competitiveness of its HBM4 and plans to successfully develop and mass-produce HBM4 products in the second half of this year.

Global Foundry Landscape Thought to be Reshaped as Two Merger Rumors Surface

Per recent foreign media reports, two major merger rumors are stirring the market. The first suggested that GlobalFoundries and UMC (United Microelectronics Corporation) are evaluating a potential merger, with the hope of creating a larger entity capable of rivaling TSMC. The second indicated that Intel and TSMC have reached a “preliminary agreement” to form a joint venture to operate Intel’s chip manufacturing plant in the U.S.

Although none of the four involved companies have issued definitive responses, the news has sparked widespread discussion.

Industry experts believe that collaboration will become one of the key trends in the foundry sector. Given the prohibitively high costs and drawn-out development cycles associated with semiconductor manufacturing, partnerships offer an attractive option for companies seeking to expand production capacity or enter new markets. Such alliances can help share costs and risks, and may ultimately reshape the competitive landscape of the global foundry industry.

2nm Ushers in a New Era in Semiconductor Technology as Companies Develop at Full Throttle

As AI boosts demand and technological upgrades in the semiconductor sector, foundries are accelerating the pace of making breakthroughs in advanced nodes and packaging technologies. Against this backdrop, the 2nm process is expected to achieve significant milestones this year.

TSMC officially started to take 2nm wafer orders on April 1, 2025, with Apple, Qualcomm, and MediaTek being the first round of customers. The company originally scheduled to achieve large-scale production in the second half of 2025, but decided to accelerate the timeline to the first half due to soaring demand.

In the foundry field, although Samsung is reallocating some talent to its memory business, it remains committed to 2nm chip development. Samsung is set to mass-produce the world’s first 2nm chip—Exynos 2600—with prototype production scheduled to begin in May 2025.

Meanwhile, Japan-based Rapidus aims to mass-produce 2nm chips by 2027 and start trial production this year. President Atsuyoshi Koike recently announced that the 2nm pilot line at its factory in Chitose, Hokkaido, partially launched on April 1. The full process is expected to be operational within April, with customer product samples available by mid-July. Koike revealed that Rapidus is already in contact with 40 to 50 potential clients, including Apple and Google, demonstrating its ambitious global vision.

In light of recent media reports suggesting business talks with Apple and Google, Rapidus clarifies that it is indeed in discussions with a broad range of potential customers, from large established enterprises to AI startups. The mention of ‘GAFAM’ companies was intended as a general example of the types of organizations involved, not as a disclosure of specific clients.

The industry points out that TSMC’s 2nm process offers a 15% performance boost, 30% power efficiency improvement, and 15% increase in transistor density. These enhancements will significantly improve computing performance for supercomputers and AI inference, while reducing energy consumption—aligning with the global push for green and low-carbon technologies.

With 2nm mass production on the horizon, the semiconductor industry is poised to advance to more sophisticated processes, driving innovation in HPC, AI, IoT, and other key sectors. On the strength of the dual drivers of technological breakthroughs and market demand, the global semiconductor industry is expected to embrace a new phase of growth.

(Photo credit: Rapidus)