Currently, only two companies in the semiconductor industry, Samsung and TSMC, are actively promoting mass production of 2-nanometer technology wafers, but a third company is also working to close the gap, although it will be a full year behind its competitors. It is reported that Japan's Rapidus Company has begun trial production of 200 2nm GAA wafers, and the latest news is that the company has built a factory.

Thankfully, the company's progress won't be hindered by U.S. export controls, meaning Rapidus will likely have access to the state-of-the-art equipment needed to mass-produce 2nm GAA wafers.

Rapidus, one of the first companies in Japan to install advanced EUV machines for volume production of 2nm and below wafers, hopes to become a leader in semiconductor manufacturing in the region and save millions of dollars in costs thanks to its full single-wafer front-end processing technology, which allows it to make adjustments to individual units and apply those properties to the remaining units.

Thanks to this approach, single-wafer front-end processing can capture more data to train AI models and improve production, resulting in higher yields.

It's remarkable how far Rapidus has come in just a few years. It established a foothold in advanced semiconductor manufacturing in September 2023, completed the clean room in 2024, and installed 200 of the world's most advanced wafer production equipment in June 2025.

Rapidus is also developing a process development kit compatible with its IIM-1 foundry's 2nm process, which will be available to customers in the first quarter of 2026. These customers can start prototyping their own designs almost immediately, with Rapidus expecting to begin volume production in 2027.

The Japanese company is a bit late to the field compared to Samsung and TSMC, but considering there are only three companies currently focusing on 2nm manufacturing, Rapidus has basically joined the elite club.

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