Based on information from Taiwan's Economic Daily News, the semiconductor supply chain is poised to experience yet another wave of price increases, following the previous surges in memory chips and packaging costs. Mature-process foundries, such as UMC, Vanguard, and Powerchip, are anticipated to elevate their quotes as early as April, with price hikes potentially reaching 10% or even surpassing that mark.
Among these foundries, UMC refrained from directly addressing the rumors surrounding price increases. However, it did acknowledge that the current pricing landscape is "more favorable than before." Vanguard, in its price adjustment announcement, indicated plans to revise foundry prices starting from April 2026, without specifying the magnitude of the increases. The company has remained unresponsive to inquiries regarding this matter.
Powerchip, on the other hand, confirmed that it has been incrementally raising prices since the current quarter, with a primary focus on product lines characterized by lower gross margins. Furthermore, in light of escalating costs, IC design firms, particularly those specializing in driver ICs, are also contemplating price hikes.