Mixed outlook for substrate market in 2H25: Price hikes mainly reflect rising costs

As the calendar moves into the second half of 2025, the traditional consumer peak season is gradually unfolding. The market expects that due to continuous increases in operating costs for IC substrate manufacturers, coupled with extended lead times for ABF and BT substrates, supply and demand for related products are becoming tighter. Consequently, quarterly prices from Taiwan’s top three players—Unimicron, Kinsus, and Nan Ya PCB—are on the rise.

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Taiwan’s electric scooter market faces a shake-up as third player eyes entry

Driven by global industrial trends and supportive local policies, Taiwan has taken an aggressive lead in developing its electric scooter industry. With major players like Gogoro Network and Kymco’s Ionex already entrenched, a potential new entrant — a coalition between Sanyang Motor (SYM) and CPC Corporation, Taiwan’s state-owned oil company — is sparking debate over whether the market can support a third battery-swapping system.

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Stay or relocate: Taiwan makers weigh exodus amid weak government support

The free trade agreement (FTA) between the US and South Korea has now become irrelevant under Donald Trump’s administration. Taiwan’s tech products also face the possibility of losing the ITA and ITA 2 tariffs-free benefits granted under the WTO framework. Trump’s tariff threat can be understood as a step to force Seoul to share the cost of stationing US troops in South Korea. But what does Trump want from Taiwan in the tariffs game? TSMC is already constructing wafer fabs and an R&D center in the US. Does Trump want AI server makers to set up assembly lines in the US, and for the Taiwan currency to sharply appreciate against the greenback?

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Taiwan suppliers eye foldable smartphone growth, face barriers in South Korea

Taiwanese component suppliers are ramping up efforts to enter the growing foldable smartphone market, but penetrating South Korea’s highly integrated supply chain remains a major challenge. Samsung Electronics unveiled its latest Galaxy Z foldable series on July 10, 2025, emphasizing slimmer, lighter designs—a trend seen as critical in the next phase of smartphone innovation.

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