➀ Intel is reportedly in early-stage discussions with AMD to add the Ryzen and Radeon chip designer as a foundry client.

➁ This would be another vote of confidence after a series of major investments into Intel.

➂ The potential deal has implications for AMD's business in the AI market.

➀ Global foundry revenue hit a record $41.7B in 2Q25, up 14.6% QoQ, driven by China's consumer subsidies and early inventory buildup;

➁ TSMC dominated with 70% market share as capacity utilization and wafer shipments surged;

➂ TrendForce highlights stronger H2 demand from new smartphone/PC launches and AI server deployments.

➀ Intel spins off its Network and Edge Group (NEX) to streamline operations and focus on x86 CPUs and AI-driven strategies;

➁ Quarterly losses of $2.9 billion and workforce reductions highlight financial challenges amid internal restructuring;

➂ Critical 14A node development faces cancellation without major external customers, signaling strategic reliance on partnerships.

➀ Intel's Q2 2025 revenue remained flat at $12.9B with losses deepening to $2.9B;

➁ The company announced radical restructuring plans, including layoffs of 30,000 employees by 2025 and CEO Lip-Bu Tan's personal oversight of chip designs;

➂ Strategic shifts include pivoting toward AI inference/full-stack solutions, re-evaluating foundry investments (18A/14A nodes), and reviving Hyper-Threading for desktop CPUs to counter AMD's EPYC.

➀ The semiconductor industry's high costs have consolidated leading-edge logic fabs to three players: TSMC, Samsung, and Intel;

➁ TSMC's conservative 2nm strategy with GAA/BSPD adoption secured majority market share, while Samsung and Intel faced yield failures and customer losses;

➂ Revenue dominance at 2nm positions TSMC to monopolize future generations, leaving rivals' foundry prospects uncertain.

➀ Mainland China is projected to dominate 30% of global foundry capacity by 2030, up from 21% in 2024, driven by rapid expansion despite low domestic wafer demand;

➁ Geopolitical shifts highlight imbalances: The U.S. accounts for 57% of wafer demand but owns only 10% of capacity, while Taiwan and South Korea maintain balanced supply-demand ratios;

➂ Global foundry utilization will remain around 70%, with ROI concerns as ownership battles and geopolitical tensions redefine industry dynamics, favoring Asian regional dominance.

➀ Intel plans to cut 15-20% of its Foundry division workforce (8,170-10,890 employees) globally due to financial pressures;

➁ Layoffs target non-essential roles but retain critical engineers for EUV/High-NA tech, risking operational agility;

➂ Uncertain U.S. federal CHIPS Act subsidies and Oregon state funding adds complexity to Intel's restructuring efforts.

➀ Intel reported Q1 revenue of $12.7 billion, flat y-o-y with a gross margin of 36.9% down 4.1 points y-o-y.

➁ The company expects Q2 revenue between $11.2-12.4 billion.

➂ CEO Lip-Bu Tan emphasized the need for better execution and operational efficiency to regain market share and drive sustainable growth.

➀ The article lists the top ten foundries in Q4 2025, as compiled by TrendForce.

➁ It is a follow-up to previous articles on top EV vendors and chip vendors.

➂ It provides a snapshot of the semiconductor industry's leading players in the foundry sector.

Analysts have raised concerns about TSMC's plan to operate or form a joint venture with Intel's fabs. They believe the differences in manufacturing and operations would hinder success. Citigroup suggests that Intel's foundry has failed to compete with TSMC and that forcing a company to use inferior manufacturing would diminish shareholder value. Lynx Equity questions TSMC's interest in Intel's IFS and the potential risks involved. Bank of America points out the technological mismatch between Intel and TSMC and questions Intel's eligibility for $19 billion in Chips Act funding due to the required majority ownership.

➀ TSMC is expected to earn $60 billion in revenues from manufacturing 2nm wafers before Intel makes any significant money from the technology.

➁ The US government's decision to distribute the $250 billion Chips and Science Act money widely is criticized.

➂ Intel's share of the act, $19 billion, seems insufficient compared to TSMC's $30-40 billion 2025 capex and expected revenues.

➀ This article lists the top ten foundries based on a report by TrendForce.

➁ The list highlights the leading companies in the semiconductor industry.

➂ It is part of a series that focuses on the top performers in various technology sectors.

➀ The Foundry 2.0 market is projected to reach $298 billion in 2025, with a year-over-year growth of 11%;

➁ TSMC is expected to expand its market share to 37% in 2025, driven by robust orders for AI accelerators;

➂ The non-memory IDM sector is expected to grow modestly at 2% in 2025, despite Intel's aggressive promotion of its process technologies.

➀ TSMC's revenue in February reached US$7.9 billion, marking an 11% decrease from January but a 43% increase year-over-year.

➁ UMC's February revenue was US$552 million, reflecting an unknown change from the previous month.

➂ The first two months of 2025 saw a 39% increase in revenue for TSMC compared to the same period in 2024.

➀ Cadence has officially joined the Intel Foundry Accelerator Design Services Alliance;

➁ This collaboration aims to drive innovation and support advanced chip design;

➂ The alliance aims to solidify Intel Foundry's leadership in cutting-edge semiconductor solutions.

➀ InPsytech, a provider of high-performance semiconductor IP solutions, joins the Intel Foundry Accelerator IP Alliance;

➁ The collaboration aims to enhance HPC, AI, and automotive applications;

➂ InPsytech's advanced IP offerings will be integrated into the Intel Foundry ecosystem.

➀ TSMC and Intel are reportedly still working on a potential joint venture to run Intel's manufacturing capacity;

➁ The joint venture would involve leading American fabless chip designers such as AMD, Broadcom, Nvidia, and Qualcomm;

➂ The initiative is in response to a request from President Trump's administration to strengthen Intel and ensure continued American control.

➀ TSMC is in talks with Intel, Nvidia, Broadcom, Qualcomm, and AMD about a joint venture to acquire Intel Foundry;

➁ TSMC plans to take a stake of no more than 50% in Intel Foundry to maintain US ownership, as required by the White House;

➂ The deal requires approval from the White House.

➀ Advanced foundry process nodes saw a 10% q-o-q growth in Q4, driven by demand from AI servers, smartphone processors, and PCs, leading to $38.48 billion in revenues for the top ten foundries.

➁ TSMC led with $26.85 billion in revenue and a 67% market share, followed by Samsung Foundry with a 1.4% QoQ decline to $3.26 billion and 8.1% market share.

➂ SMIC's revenue increased 1.7% QoQ to $2.2 billion, securing 5.5% market share and third place.