TSMC's 2nm Leak Storm: Insider Selling to Japan, Global Chip Landscape Changes

A shocking leak occurred on the eve of TSMC's 2nm process mass production! Nine internal employees are suspected of taking over a thousand core technology documents and leaking them to Japanese companies, directly helping Japan's Rapidus achieve a breakthrough in 2nm prototype chips six months ahead of schedule. This is the most severe espionage case in semiconductor history, causing TSMC to evaporate $33 billion in market value in a single day, and it may disrupt the global chip competition landscape.

1. Thousands of Photos Tear Open the Technical Defense Line

Investigative departments disclosed that three 2nm trial production engineers used remote work to secretly take photos of confidential documents on computer screens with their mobile phones, accumulating over 1,000 images. The content includes core information such as nanosheet transistor parameters, EUV calibration data, yield optimization algorithms, and even TSMC's exclusive atomic-level processing technology.

These documents were transmitted to Tokyo Electron staff stationed in Taiwan via encrypted software and then synchronized to Japan's Rapidus R&D center. Originally relying on IBM technology and planning mass production in 2027, Rapidus suddenly announced a successful trial production ahead of schedule, speeding up the timeline by 18 months.

2. Japanese Companies' “Technical Shortcut” and US-Japan Power Struggle

Tokyo Electron is both a TSMC equipment supplier and a shareholder of Rapidus. Rapidus received more than 50 billion RMB in subsidies from the Japanese government, and its technological breakthrough is directly linked to the leak. More concerning is that Rapidus recently obtained US approval to purchase the most advanced EUV lithography machines, with the US reasoning being to “counterbalance TSMC's monopoly,” showing clear signs of geopolitical maneuvering.

3. TSMC's Triple Blow

- Economic Loss: US stocks plummeted by 2.73% in a single day, shrinking its market value by $33 billion, and major clients like Apple and Nvidia urgently requested security commitments, leading to order delays.

- Technological Gap Narrowed: TSMC's advantage of a 65% yield at 2nm may be leveraged by Rapidus using leaked materials to increase it from 30% to over 50%, shortening the mass production timeline by one year.

- Sovereign Risk Escalation: The US has launched an emergency investigation, potentially using this opportunity to force TSMC to open technology licensing to Intel.

This leak has not only torn apart TSMC's technical defense line but has also exposed the covert war in the global chip industry. Can Japan rise to prominence, how will the US reap the benefits, and can TSMC maintain its throne? In the nanoscale battlefield, a single misstep may lead to a complete upheaval of the global landscape.