Rapidus to match TSMC on 2-nanometer chip pricing, Japan firm’s president says - The Japan Times

Rapidus, a Japanese chipmaker, plans to price its 2-nanometer chips at a level comparable to, or slightly lower than, those produced by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world's large... Read original →

Rapidus’s move to match TSMC’s 2nm wafer pricing isn’t just competitive—it’s Japan’s strategic gambit to reclaim semiconductor sovereignty. Technically, its bet on optical and quantum integration could bypass conventional EUV scaling, reshaping the post-Moore equipment and materials stack. Yet without mature IP ecosystems or high-volume yield, aggressive pricing will erode margins and deepen reliance on Japanese state subsidies. Geopolitically, this bolsters the U.S.-Japan tech alliance aimed at reducing overdependence on Taiwan, China, likely prompting TSMC to accelerate localized fabs in both markets. Within 18 months, if Rapidus fails to demonstrate clear energy-efficiency gains at the 1.4nm node through its heterogeneous architecture, its pricing leverage will collapse, relegating it to regional backup capacity.