TSMC postpones 2026 equipment demand and delivery plans due to concerns about Trump's policy uncertainty

Due to concerns about the uncertainty of semiconductor policies brought about by Trump's re-election, wafer foundry giant TSMC recently notified semiconductor equipment suppliers at home and abroad that the equipment demand and delivery plan for 2026 will be temporarily shelved. Industry insiders believe that although the trend of AI has not changed, TSMC's move is mainly to assess the policy uncertainty after Trump took office, and then reassess demand to cautiously expand production and respond to future changes. At present, driven by the demand for AI, TSMC is making every effort to expand its CoWoS production capacity, with the goal of doubling its capacity from 2024 to 2025, but it may still be in short supply. In addition, TSMC also plans to purchase Innolux's fourth plant in southern Taiwan (internal code name AP8), which is expected to be completed in March-April 2025 and start contributing production capacity in the second half of the year. At the same time, TSMC is also considering purchasing Innolux's second old plant. As for TSMC's AP7 plant in Chiayi, its goal is to deliver equipment from the end of 2025 and install equipment in the first half of 2026, mainly for expanding SoIC production, and strive to start production at the end of the same year.