Citrini View: Samsung seeks new 5nm customers after 4nm foundry capacity is fully booked, negotiations for major 2nm orders delayed.

BlockBeats news, October 20 - Citrini analyst Jukan stated that Samsung Electronics' foundry business's 4nm process capacity has recently become nearly saturated due to increased customer orders, and the company is actively seeking new 5nm customers. Meanwhile, in 2nm foundry negotiations with global tech giants, some discussions are progressing slower than initially expected.

The analyst noted that 4nm covers mobile processors, AI chips, and high-performance computing chips, and the expansion of AI semiconductor demand is also driving contract manufacturing demand that does not necessarily require the most advanced processes. With 4nm capacity nearing full utilization, Samsung can offer 5nm as an alternative based on performance and cost requirements to improve utilization of existing production lines. Industry observers believe that the recovery in 4nm utilization and new 5nm orders are expected to improve short-term profitability and help the foundry business reduce losses, while 2nm still needs to prove its competitiveness through major customers and mass production track records.