> TSMC and Samsung Electronics join forces to raise advanced process prices

The pattern of foundry pricing being determined by market supply and demand is strengthening
But cost increases are highly likely to add to the cost burden across the entire ecosystem
According to industry insiders on the 9th
TSMC has informed major customers including NVIDIA, Apple, and AMD
That it plans to increase wafer supply prices for cutting-edge nodes such as 3nm and 5nm, as well as the 7nm node used for high-performance semiconductors, by 5% to 10%
Samsung Electronics has also raised supply prices for new customers by about 15%
Mainly targeting advanced 4nm and 5nm processes with strong demand
And some 8nm nodes used for automotive applications
> More noteworthy than the price hike magnitude is the change in the pricing mechanism itself
Normally, new processes start with higher prices
And the foundry industry locks in prices or adjusts gradually after yields stabilize and efficiency improves
Unless transitioning to a next-generation process, it is rare to raise process prices again
The root cause still lies in supply and demand
> The global surge in orders for AI semiconductors
Has led to insufficient advanced process capacity to meet demand
> Foundries face growing pressure on capital expenditure
Mostly used for developing next-generation processes such as 2nm and investing in advanced equipment
Major foundries have announced varying degrees of price increases for 2026