TSMC said on Thursday it obtained a one-year U.S. export license for its Nanjing fab, replacing the validated end-user program that ended on December 31. The mature-node plant contributed about 2.4% of 2024 revenue, and similar approvals went to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Reuters reported the authorization covers all U.S.-controlled tools for the site.

Global electronics manufacturers are signaling that device prices could climb 5% to 20% in 2026 as AI data centers consume an increasing share of memory chip supply. Companies such as Dell, Lenovo, Xiaomi, and Raspberry Pi are already raising prices or stockpiling components, while Samsung and SK Hynix report that 2026 chip orders have surpassed their current production capacity. Analysts expect consumers to bear most of the cost as AI-related infrastructure spending continues to surge and memory markets stay tight at least through 2027.

A recently divorced Bitcoin holder lost his entire retirement savings, totaling one full BTC, after an online romance scheme used AI-generated identities and real-time deepfakes to build trust. The case shows how emotional manipulation combined with irreversible crypto transfers can defeat traditional fraud checks and overwhelm personal defenses.

On December 31, 2025 in Beijing, Xi Jinping used a New Year's Eve speech to highlight China's gains in AI, semiconductors, defense technology and its 140 trillion yuan GDP goal for 2025. He pointed to DeepSeek's model launch, a wave of chip IPOs, a trade surplus above $1 trillion and a confirmed 5% growth target, while acknowledging weak investment, soft consumption and ongoing property sector pressures.

On 31 December 2025, SoftBank finalized its multi-stage investment in OpenAI, bringing its total commitment to roughly $40 billion and securing more than a 10% stake. The last payment, completed last week, was estimated at over $22 billion and came after SoftBank sold its $5.8 billion Nvidia position to free up capital. The deal values OpenAI at a $260 billion pre-money valuation and supports expansive AI infrastructure plans as tech giants, including Microsoft, Amazon, Disney, and Meta, intensify competition in artificial intelligence.

Nvidia is coordinating with TSMC to expand H200 manufacturing after Chinese firms placed orders exceeding 2 million units for 2026. The company reportedly has about 700,000 chips available, with initial deliveries planned before the Lunar New Year and additional production expected to begin in Q2 2026, while Beijing's import approval remains pending.

ByteDance said it plans to acquire $14 billion of Nvidia H200 GPUs in 2026 and budget $5.7 billion for Huawei Ascend processors. The company's projected 2026 outlay exceeds its 2025 budget of 85 billion Yuan (~$12.15B) amid rising compute needs across its apps, Volcano Engine, and LLMs. Sales of Nvidia H200 in China still await confirmation under evolving restrictions.

Chinese authorities now require chip manufacturers to prove that at least 50% of their production equipment is domestically made before approving new plant construction or expansion. According to people familiar with the process, this unwritten rule is enforced through procurement reviews and has accelerated since U.S. export controls tightened in 2023, pushing fabs toward local suppliers and boosting sales at firms such as Naura and AMEC.