Overview
- TSMC said the Commerce Department granted its Nanjing fab an annual 2026 export license for U.S.-controlled items.
- Industry sources reported Samsung and SK Hynix also received 2026 approvals to ship U.S.-origin chipmaking tools to their China plants.
- The change follows the expiration of validated end-user status on Dec. 31, 2025, which would have forced per-shipment licensing.
- BIS adopted a yearly plan-and-approve process viewed as less burdensome, with prior U.S. estimates pointing to up to about 1,000 license filings annually without it.
- The licenses cover mature-node and memory facilities in Xi’an, Wuxi, Dalian and Nanjing, supporting operations through 2026 while leaving access beyond that year uncertain.