[News] TSMC Rejects High-NA EUV Investment Concerns, Confirms Purchase for R&D Use

As Intel advances its High-NA EUV roadmap for its A14 node, market attention has turned to TSMC’s comparatively cautious approach to the cutting-edge lithography tool, which is estimated to cost around US$400 million per system.

However, at its June 4 shareholder meeting, TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei rejected speculation that the company had opted not to invest in High-NA EUV. According to TechNews, he stressed that TSMC has already purchased the equipment and is actively conducting R&D.

Wei explained that the main reason the High-NA EUV system has not yet been introduced into mass production is purely cost-related. The company will continue working to improve efficiency and reduce costs, and will move the technology into production once conditions are ready, TechNews reports.

Interestingly, Wei also added with a touch of humor that TSMC is not only investing in the technology but has already purchased the tools, noting that “it would even be a bit embarrassing to say how many.” As previously reported by Tom’s Hardware, citing Kevin Zhang, senior vice president of business development and global sales and deputy COO at TSMC, TSMC’s upcoming A13 and A12 processes, both targeted for 2029, are not expected to require High-NA EUV lithography tools.

This contrasts with Intel’s strategy for its 14A node and subsequent generations, which are set to adopt High-NA EUV starting in 2027–2028, according to Tom’s Hardware. Reuters, citing ASML CEO Christophe Fouquet, also reported in May that the semiconductor equipment giant expects to see the first memory and logic products manufactured on High-NA EUV systems within the next few months.

TSMC Reaffirms Strong Capex Outlook

Against this backdrop, TSMC reaffirmed its capital expenditure plans to support sustained growth. According to TechNews, when investors asked Chairman C.C. Wei how long the company’s current investment cycle would last and when a potential “plateau period” might emerge, he said TSMC remains highly confident in its multi-year outlook, supported by forecasts from both customers and “customers’ customers,” with the company’s growth trajectory expected to continue upward.

He noted that, as previously guided at the earnings call, capital expenditure for 2026 is projected to range between US$52 billion and US$56 billion, with an internal bias toward the upper end of US$56 billion, as noted by the report.

Liberty Times adds that at TSMC’s annual shareholder meeting, C.C. Wei said in his opening remarks that the company achieved record-high revenue and profit last year, delivering strong operational results. He noted that TSMC’s share price has risen by more than 1.5 times over the past year, while cash dividend payouts have increased by over 30%.

Read more

• [News] Behind TSMC’s High-NA EUV Deferral: Low-NA Stays Strong, Customer Landscape Shifts, and ASML Quietly Pivots
• [News] TSMC Latest Roadmap: A12, A13 for 2029 Without High-NA EUV; A16 Volume Production Delayed to 2027

(Photo credit: TSMC)