Samsung is reportedly evaluating a potential European semiconductor expansion alongside its South Korea and US manufacturing base, as the region tightens local production requirements and Germany seeks a replacement for a cancelled flagship chip investment.
Xintec, the packaging and testing subsidiary of TSMC, held an investor conference in which Chairman CH Chen said full-year 2025 revenue maintained modest growth, driven primarily by a sharp increase in testing service revenue. However, high-margin optical diffractive element (DOE) packaging orders continued to decline after a 3D sensing customer adjusted its supplier strategy, putting pressure on overall gross margin and profitability.
Holtek Corp. said recent price increases announced by Chinese microcontroller (MCU) maker Cmsemicon are a positive development for the sector, arguing that rising prices among Chinese competitors will help ease excessive price wars and narrow price gaps, potentially prompting customers to choose suppliers based on quality. The company expects to capture transferred orders while maintaining margins and broadening its market presence.
Nvidia has officially finalized a deal to establish its first overseas headquarters in Taipei, marking a major milestone in Taiwan's evolution into a global AI powerhouse.
Grand Process Technology Corporation (GPTC), a key wet process equipment supplier in the supply chains of TSMC, ASE, and Micron, posted record consolidated revenue of NT$6.514 billion (approx. US$207.5 million) in 2025, up 59.93% year-over-year, with profits expected to hit new highs as well. However, January 2026 revenue unexpectedly plunged 47.7% from December's peak to NT$527 million, though it still rose 42% year-over-year. GPTC attributed the drop to delayed customer shipments affecting revenue recognition, but maintained that full-year momentum remains stable and upward.
China's ByteDance is developing an artificial intelligence (AI) chip and is in talks with Samsung Electronics to manufacture it, Reuters reported, citing two people familiar with the matter, as the TikTok parent seeks to secure a supply of advanced processors.
Taiwan-based AblePrint Technology, a key supplier of advanced packaging defoaming equipment for major clients including TSMC, reported record-breaking performance despite earlier regulatory scrutiny. In January 2026, the company's revenue reached NT$304 million (US$9.65 million), up 50.44% month-on-month and 142% year-over-year, marking its highest single-month revenue ever.
Arm reported record revenue in its fiscal third quarter of 2026. The UK-based semiconductor IP company is navigating ongoing smartphone market headwinds while shifting its growth focus toward artificial intelligence inference workloads in data centers.
Europe's technology security posture toward China is tightening. The Netherlands is emerging as an early indicator. A new Dutch cabinet dominated by China hawks signals tighter export controls, stricter investment screening, and deeper coordination with US and allied technology-security frameworks. The shift carries potential spillover effects across semiconductor supply chains and EU industrial policy.
Taiwan Premier Jung-tai Cho stressed the government's commitment to industry in his remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony on February 10 for the Advanced Semiconductor R&D Base at the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), saying that Taiwan bears responsibilities to the global supply chain, and any pause in Taiwan's industrial sector could disrupt supplies worldwide.
As demand for higher transmission performance rises alongside the expansion of artificial intelligence and data centers, the 2026 Asia Photonics Expo (APE 2026), held in Singapore, underscored the deepening convergence between the semiconductor and photonics industries. Against this backdrop, DIGITIMES interviewed Sukumar Verma, managing director of Informa Markets Singapore, on development trends shaping the city-state's high-tech sector.
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