The global dynamics of supply and demand for mature semiconductor processes are experiencing notable shifts. Commencing in the latter half of 2025, industry giants TSMC and Samsung are poised to scale back their production capacities for 8-inch wafers. Nevertheless, propelled by the escalating demand for power management solutions and the heightened power needs of AI servers, the utilization rate of 8-inch capacity among the world's top ten foundries is projected to surge to almost 90% by 2026. This trend is anticipated to result in a stabilization followed by an uptick in both capacity utilization rates and foundry pricing structures.
Simultaneously, the mature 12-inch processes may encounter a reshuffling of orders as a consequence of TSMC's production cutbacks. While there is presently no scarcity of supply, in the medium to long term, the diversion of TSMC's orders could incentivize secondary-tier foundries to seek price increases from their customers in the latter half of 2026.