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South Korea’s Samsung and SK Hynix Exempt from 100% U.S. Chip Tariffs

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South Korea’s top trade official, Yeo Han-koo, announced that Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix will not face the proposed 100% U.S. tariffs on semiconductor imports, benefiting from favorable tariff terms under a trade agreement between the U.S. and South Korea.

This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump indicated plans to impose steep tariffs on semiconductor imports from countries without U.S.-based production commitments. However, companies with active or planned manufacturing facilities in the U.S. would be exempt.

Samsung has invested in two chip fabrication plants in Texas, located in Austin and Taylor, while SK Hynix plans to build an advanced chip packaging and AI R&D facility in Indiana. Analysts suggest that Samsung’s broader U.S. investments and its inclusion in Apple’s supply chain give it a stronger exemption position compared to SK Hynix, whose packaging plant alone might not fully qualify for tariff relief.

Apple recently confirmed that Samsung’s Texas plant will supply chips for its iPhones and other products, further strengthening Samsung’s U.S. manufacturing footprint. Following these developments, Samsung’s shares rose 2.6%, while SK Hynix’s shares gained 0.6%, mirroring broader market trends.

Neither company commented on the tariff discussion.

Two Chinese AI Chip Firms Target $1.7 Billion IPOs Amid U.S. Export Curbs

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Two Chinese artificial intelligence chipmakers, Moore Threads and MetaX, are seeking to raise a combined 12 billion yuan ($1.65 billion) through initial public offerings (IPOs) on Shanghai’s STAR Market, according to filings released Monday. The companies are betting that U.S. export restrictions on advanced semiconductors will drive demand for homegrown alternatives.

Beijing-based Moore Threads aims to raise 8 billion yuan, while Shanghai-based MetaX targets 3.9 billion yuan. Both firms design graphics processing units (GPUs)—vital components for AI applications—and are attempting to position themselves as domestic challengers to Nvidia, whose chips are now largely restricted from sale in China.

Their listing bids come as China accelerates its push for semiconductor self-sufficiency amid tightening U.S. sanctions. In April, Washington imposed additional curbs that banned Nvidia’s popular H20 chips from export to China. Earlier restrictions have also blocked Chinese chipmakers from using top-tier global foundries such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).

Although both Moore Threads and MetaX acknowledged in their IPO filings that U.S. sanctions present operational challenges, they also highlighted the market opportunity those restrictions have created. “U.S. restrictions… are prompting Chinese companies to accelerate domestic substitution,” Moore Threads stated. Similarly, MetaX noted that geopolitical pressures are “forcing domestic clients to use domestically-produced GPU products.”

Financially, both firms remain deep in the red.

  • Moore Threads reported 2024 revenue of 438 million yuan but posted a loss of 1.49 billion yuan, adding to losses of 1.67 billion yuan in 2023 and 1.84 billion yuan in 2022.

  • MetaX had 2024 revenue of 743 million yuan with a 1.4 billion yuan loss, following losses of 871 million yuan in 2023 and 777 million yuan in 2022.

Despite these losses, analysts say that access to China’s capital markets is critical for these startups to scale R&D and reach economies of scale. “Moore Threads and MetaX are both considered leading GPU firms in China,” said He Hui, semiconductor research director at Omdia. “IPO funding is essential to sustain innovation and growth.”

Founded in 2020, both companies were launched by veterans of major U.S. chipmakers.

  • MetaX’s leadership includes former AMD executives, notably Chairman Chen Weiliang, AMD’s former global head of GPU product line design.

  • Moore Threads was founded by ex-Nvidia personnel, including Chairman Zhang Jianzhong, previously Nvidia’s general manager in China.

These two firms join a rapidly expanding field of Chinese AI chipmakers such as Huawei, Cambricon, and Hygon, all seeking to fill the void left by restricted foreign chip supply and capitalize on Beijing’s semiconductor independence ambitions.

Taiwan Adds Huawei and SMIC to Strategic Export Control List Amid Security Concerns

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Taiwan has placed China’s tech giants Huawei Technologies and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) on its export control list, requiring Taiwanese firms to obtain government approval before exporting any products to these companies.

The additions were part of a recent update to the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ trade administration strategic high-tech commodities entity list, announced on June 10. Alongside Huawei and SMIC, the update included 601 entities from countries such as Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Myanmar, and China, including groups like the Taliban and al Qaeda.

Taiwan’s trade administration stated the review and update were driven by “prevention of arms proliferation and other national security considerations.” It urged manufacturers to comply with export control regulations, fulfill verification obligations, and carefully assess transaction risks.

Taiwan is home to TSMC, the world’s largest contract chipmaker and a key supplier to AI leader Nvidia. Both Huawei and SMIC are pivotal to China’s ambitions in chips and artificial intelligence and have been striving to close the technology gap.

Taiwan already enforces strict chip export controls on Taiwanese companies that manufacture domestically or supply Chinese firms, reflecting ongoing tensions between Taipei and Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its territory.

Huawei is also subject to U.S. export restrictions barring access to American and foreign-made goods involving U.S. technology, including chips manufactured by TSMC. Last year, TSMC was ordered by the U.S. Commerce Department to halt shipments of certain chips to Chinese customers, including Huawei and Sophgo, a Chinese chip designer linked to Huawei’s AI processor.

Taiwan’s government has repeatedly pledged to combat Chinese efforts to steal technology and attract Taiwanese chip talent, emphasizing the strategic importance of the semiconductor sector.

SMIC, China’s largest chipmaker, continues to invest heavily to expand capacity amid U.S. export curbs, aiming to boost China’s domestic semiconductor capabilities.