TSMC CEO: "We Do Not Steal Customers' Technology"…A Warning Shot at Samsung Electronics

"Clients Have No Worries About Losing Design Rights" Emphasized
"2nm Products Mass Production in 2025" Counterattack Against Samsung

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The CEO of Taiwan's TSMC, the world's largest foundry (semiconductor contract manufacturing) company, made remarks showcasing the company's competitiveness in the foundry sector by targeting major competitor Samsung Electronics, stating that TSMC does not steal customers' technology. He also expressed the intention to directly compete by launching products in the advanced 2-nanometer semiconductor field in line with Samsung Electronics' planned release year of 2025.

According to Taiwan's Central News Agency on the 30th, TSMC CEO Wei Zhejia said in a speech at the annual TSMC Technology Forum held in Taipei that "TSMC, with 2,000 researchers, has the capability to design products but never manufactures my own products. Customers do not need to worry about TSMC stealing their designs," adding, "On the other hand, competitors have their own products regardless of whether customers succeed or not."

Although CEO Wei did not specifically mention who the "competitors" were in his speech, his remarks are interpreted as targeting Samsung Electronics, which operates both a foundry business supplying semiconductors to customers and a finished product business such as smartphone manufacturing.

Regarding the 2-nanometer semiconductor field, CEO Wei also emphasized, "2-nanometer products will be mass-produced starting in 2025," and "It will be the technology with the highest density and best capability," suggesting the possibility of competition with Samsung Electronics. Previously, Samsung Electronics announced plans to begin mass production of 2-nanometer products starting in 2025.

The reason for these cautionary remarks is analyzed to be due to the intensifying competition as Samsung Electronics' market share in the foundry sector gradually increases. According to market research firm TrendForce, in the first quarter of this year, TSMC ranked first with a foundry revenue market share of 53.6%, while Samsung Electronics ranked second with 16.3%.

In particular, Samsung Electronics, a latecomer in the foundry sector, has publicly set the goal of becoming the number one system semiconductor company by 2030 and is making large-scale investments and active research and development. This has led to very fierce competition between the two companies, especially in the advanced fine process field below 5 nm (nanometer = one billionth of a meter).

On July 25, Samsung Electronics held a shipment ceremony for its 3-nanometer process product, the world's first to apply GAA (Gate-All-Around) technology. TSMC is also scheduled to start mass production of 3-nanometer products next month and plans to produce Apple's self-designed M2 Pro chip.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.