TSMC is accelerating the advancement of advanced chip manufacturing in the United States. According to Japan's Nikkei Asian Review, the company plans to start moving production equipment to its second wafer fab in Arizona in mid-2026, and has targeted mass production of 3-nanometer chips in 2027.
The report quoted sources as saying that equipment installation is expected to start between July and September 2026. After the equipment is in place, it usually takes nearly a year to complete production line verification and mass production preparation. For advanced processes such as 3 nanometers, this process may be longer because it involves more than 1,000 processes and strict process verification. This latest timetable is consistent with TSMC Chairman and CEO Wei Zhejia’s recent statement that the company hopes to start U.S. production ahead of the original plan (2028).
At the same time, the Business Times reported that TSMC will invite bids for the construction contract of its third factory in Arizona before the end of the year. Currently, the first Arizona factory has begun producing chips for Apple and supplies Nvidia's latest Blackwell architecture AI processors. Once the $165 billion Arizona project is fully completed, including five fabs, advanced packaging facilities and an R&D center, TSMC expects about 30% of its most advanced chips to be manufactured in the United States.
In addition, TSMC is considering adjusting its plan for the second factory in Kumamoto, Japan. According to Nikkei, the company may shift the factory to a 4-nanometer process instead of the original 6-nanometer and 7-nanometer processes, which may require design changes and lead to project delays.
