01. Global Chip Sales Reach New High in November, Strong Growth in Asia-Pacific
On January 14, SemiMedia reported that, according to data from the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), global semiconductor sales reached $75.3 billion in November 2025, representing a year-over-year increase of 29.8% and a month-over-month rise of 3.5%, setting a new historical record. Demand increased across all major product categories, with strong performance in applications related to AI, data centers, and high-performance computing. Sales in the Asia-Pacific region grew by 66.1% year-over-year. In comparison, the Americas increased by 23.0%, China by 22.9%, Europe by 11.1%, and Japan was the only major market to decline, falling by 8.9%.
02. AI Demand Accelerates, Global Semiconductor Revenue Reaches $793 Billion in 2025
On January 16, SemiMedia reported that according to preliminary data from Gartner, global semiconductor revenue reached $793 billion in 2025, a year-over-year increase of 21%. The demand for AI chips is reshaping the industry and driving overall market growth. AI-related products, including processors, high-bandwidth memory, and networking chips, accounted for nearly one-third of total semiconductor sales. It is projected that AI infrastructure spending will exceed $1.3 trillion in 2026.
NVIDIA became the world's largest semiconductor supplier in 2025, with revenue of $125.7 billion, a year-over-year increase of 63.9%, and a market share of 15.8%, contributing over one-third of the industry's total revenue growth. Samsung Electronics ranked second with semiconductor revenue of $72.5 billion, while SK Hynix jumped to third place due to the surge in high-bandwidth memory shipments driven by AI server deployments.
Meanwhile, companies related to traditional PCs and general-purpose processors faced challenges. Intel's revenue declined by 3.9% to $47.9 billion, with its market share dropping to around 6%, reflecting the shift towards AI accelerators and specialized memory.
03. Microchip Launches Military-Standard Plastic-Packaged TVS Devices
On January 15, SemiMedia reported that Microchip Technology launched the JANPTX series of transient voltage suppressor (TVS) devices that meet the MIL-PRF-19500 military standard. These are the first plastic-packaged TVS devices to comply with this standard. The product series is designed for aerospace and defense applications, featuring non-hermetic plastic packaging while maintaining military-grade electrical performance. They cover operating voltages from 5 volts to 175 volts and are designed for surface-mount applications.
04. Chip Shortage Prompts SK Hynix to Start Production EarlyOn January 16, the Industrial and Commercial Times reported that due to the surging demand for memory chips, SK Hynix plans to advance the launch of its first factory in the new wafer fab in Yongin, South Korea, by three months to February 2027. Additionally, starting in February, the M15X wafer fab in Cheongju, South Korea, will begin production, focusing on high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips.
Driven by the AI boom, Nvidia, AMD, and data centers are scrambling to purchase memory chips. Ryu Seong-woo, CEO of SK Hynix USA, stated that the company needs to meet the memory demands of AI infrastructure, with many customers preferring to sign multi-year supply agreements to secure long-term supplies.
05. TSMC in 2027: Healthy Demand from Computer and Mobile Clients, Unaffected by Memory Price Hikes
On January 15, CNA reported that TSMC Chairman Mark Liu said during a conference call with analysts that despite rising memory prices, the impact on TSMC is minimal. This is because most clients focus on the high-end market, where sensitivity to memory prices is low, and demand remains very healthy for this year and next. Shipments of computers and smartphones are expected to grow steadily, especially for high-end smartphones, where demand remains strong. TSMC is reducing its 8-inch and 12-inch capacities and shifting towards advanced packaging technology to more effectively support customer needs.
06. Taiwan and U.S. Reach Semiconductor Supply Chain Cooperation, Emphasizing No Industry Relocation
On January 16, Taiwan and the U.S. reached a trade agreement. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo stated that the goal is to transfer 40% of Taiwan's semiconductor capacity to the U.S. Deputy Premier of Taiwan's Executive Yuan, Ching-chi Chang, said that this is part of the U.S.'s national security goal to increase domestic chip self-sufficiency, with Taiwan participating as a high-tech partner to jointly revitalize the AI industry. Chang emphasized that Taiwan's cooperation with the U.S. on the supply chain is based on the "Taiwan model" and is not about relocating industries, but rather supporting the expansion and extension of high-tech industries internationally.