Samsung Electronics Co., a number one international reminiscence chipmaker, has secured two new shoppers for its newest 2-nanometer chip manufacturing know-how, profitable orders from two Chinese language cryptocurrency mining corporations.
The transfer is anticipated to strengthen the South Korean tech big’s efforts to regain floor on foundry, or contract chipmaking, chief Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Firm Ltd., higher often known as TSMC.
Samsung Foundry, the Korean agency’s contract chipmaking unit, has agreed to provide 2 nm ASIC chips for MicroBT and Canaan, the world’s second- and third-largest makers of bitcoin-mining rigs, individuals acquainted with the matter mentioned on Monday.
The chips function the core processing models in high-performance machines used for crypto mining.
Beijing-based Bitmain Applied sciences, the sector’s dominant participant, sources its top-end chips from TSMC.
ADDITION OF CLIENT BASE TO SAMSUNG SYSTEM LSI, TESLA
The wins add to a string of current manufacturing offers for Samsung’s nascent 2 nm platform, following orders for the Exynos 2600 smartphone processor, designed by Samsung’s System LSI division and Tesla’s next-generation “AI6” accelerator chip.
Analysts mentioned the pipeline suggests Samsung’s manufacturing know-how, lengthy perceived as lagging behind TSMC’s, is regaining credibility amongst international chip builders.
An individual near the negotiations mentioned MicroBT and Canaan turned to Samsung partly as a result of TSMC’s advanced-node capability remained “extraordinarily tight,” with restricted room to accommodate new ASIC tasks.
Samsung has already begun quantity manufacturing for MicroBT, whereas Canaan’s first wafers are set to enter the road early subsequent 12 months, with shipments focused for the second half of 2026, in accordance with sources.
The chips might be manufactured at Samsung’s S3 fab in Hwaseong, south of Seoul.
$480 MILLION PER YEAR DEAL
Output for the 2 Chinese language corporations is anticipated to succeed in about 2,000 wafers a month on a 300-millimeter foundation, or about 10% of Samsung’s present 2 nm manufacturing capability at its S3 fab.
With 2 nm wafer pricing estimated at near $20,000 apiece, the offers might yield annual income of some $480 million, equal to 4% of Samsung Foundry’s 2024 gross sales, sources mentioned.
Whereas modest in scale, the contracts symbolize an vital milestone as Samsung broadens its buyer roster for the modern course of node.
The corporate started business 2 nm manufacturing earlier this 12 months and is attempting to lure shoppers from TSMC with extra aggressive pricing and sooner ramp-up schedules.
TSMC’s 2 nm companions embrace Apple, Qualcomm, AMD and MediaTek.
SAMSUNG AIMS TO EXPAND US FOOTPRINT
In the meantime, Samsung is working to broaden its US manufacturing footprint.
The corporate plans to speed up funding in a 2 nm line at its Taylor, Texas advanced, aiming to start putting in tools there within the second quarter of subsequent 12 months.
As soon as accomplished in 2027, the road is anticipated to help a month-to-month output of greater than 15,000 wafers.
The newest orders are unlikely to significantly slender the greater than 60-percentage-point market-share hole between Samsung and TSMC.
Analysts say, nonetheless, {that a} regular accumulation of two nm prospects might assist Samsung regularly rebuild momentum within the high-stakes foundry race.
