The IC substrate industry is accelerating its recovery into a new bull cycle, driven by steady growth in AI-related application demand. At the same time, price increases are gradually taking effect, benefiting companies like Unimicron and Nan Ya PCB, which reported doubled profits for December 2025.

On January 16, 2026, Taiwan and the US finalized a trade agreement that cuts tariffs on Taiwanese exports to the US to 15% without stacking. The US also pledged most-favored-nation status and duty-free quotas for Taiwan under Section 232 semiconductor-related tariffs regardless of future rate changes. This outcome reflects Taiwan’s technological strength and raises questions about whether Taiwanese firms investing in China and Vietnam will now consider reshoring amid improved US-Taiwan trade terms.

As the global automotive market shows signs of recovery in 2026, Excellence Opto has completed a corporate restructuring and opened a new factory in Mexico, positioning the company to launch new products and showcase the impact of its AI-powered automotive electronics transformation. In tandem, Excellence Opto has issued 7,000 secured convertible bonds totaling NT$739 million (approx. US$23.3 million), now listed on the local exchange.