(C) Mathrubhumi

HSINCHU, Taiwan – TSMC, the world’s leading semiconductor foundry, officially announced on December 31, 2025, that it has commenced mass production of its highly anticipated 2-nanometer (nm) process technology. This move solidifies the company’s dominance in the global chip market as the race for AI supremacy intensifies.

A "Quantum Leap" in Semiconductor Efficiency
According to an official statement released on TSMC’s website, the 2nm (N2) technology successfully entered mass production in the fourth quarter of 2025, meeting the company’s original timeline. TSMC described the N2 process as a "full-node leap" in performance and power efficiency, specifically engineered to meet the soaring demand for energy-efficient computing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and mobile applications.

The 2nm chips are being manufactured at Fab 22, located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Compared to the current N3E (3nm) process, the new 2nm technology offers:

Performance: A 10–15% increase in speed at the same power level.
Efficiency: A 25–30% reduction in power consumption at the same speed.
Density: An increase in transistor density of more than 15%.

Securing the AI Value Chain
While TSMC hinted at the imminent rollout during its Q3 earnings call in October, this statement marks the first official confirmation of the production start date. Industry analysts suggest that major tech giants, including Apple and NVIDIA, are likely the primary customers for the initial 2nm batches as they look to upgrade data centers and next-generation consumer devices.

The timing is critical. According to market research firm Gartner, global AI-related spending is projected to reach $1.5 trillion in 2025 and surpass $2 trillion by 2026, accounting for nearly 2% of the global GDP. As the sole provider capable of manufacturing these sophisticated chips at scale, TSMC is positioned to remain the largest beneficiary of this investment wave.

Looking Ahead: 2026 and Beyond
TSMC is not resting on its laurels. The company confirmed it is already developing N2P, an enhanced version of the 2nm node, with mass production scheduled for the second half of 2026. This roadmap ensures that TSMC maintains a significant lead over competitors like Samsung Electronics and Intel, who are also vying for leadership in the sub-2nm era.