Reports indicate that Taiwan's United Microelectronics (UMC, Financial) and U.S.-based GlobalFoundries are exploring a potential merger. The combined entity would form a larger company headquartered in the U.S., with manufacturing operations spanning Asia, the U.S., and Europe.
The merger aims to prioritize research and development investments in the U.S. and position the new company as a strong competitor to the leading chip manufacturer, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). As of now, both GlobalFoundries and UMC have not commented on these merger discussions.
According to data compiled by LSEG, GlobalFoundries has a market value of $20.4 billion, while UMC's market value stands at $16.9 billion. Following the news report, UMC's stock closed up 0.2% at NT$44.65, and GlobalFoundries' stock saw a slight increase.
