TSMC는 AI 칩 수요 증가에 따라 CoWoS 가격을 최대 20% 추가 인상하는 방안을 검토 중인 것으로 전해졌다.

TSMC is reportedly considering a 10% to 20% increase in CoWoS packaging prices as AI chips, server CPUs, and custom processors compete for limited capacity. The move is unconfirmed and comes amid longer backlogs and equipment constraints. Higher costs could affect NVIDIA and AMD, depending on how much they pass on to customers.

TSMC is reportedly considering another CoWoS price increase, with hikes of 10% to 20% under discussion. The report comes from the Commercial Times, citing supply chain sources. TSMC has not confirmed the increase, so the figures should be treated as unconfirmed for now.

CoWoS combines compute dies and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) in a single package, making it an important part of modern AI accelerators. Demand is growing beyond AI GPUs, as server CPUs and custom chips also compete for limited packaging capacity. That has contributed to a backlog of orders and longer waiting times.

The growing size of these packages adds to the pressure. Larger packages take more time and equipment to produce, and more demanding testing procedures further limit how many chips can be processed. Nomura Securities, cited by Seoul Economic Daily, estimates that final testing takes around four times as long for NVIDIA's Blackwell chips as it did for Hopper, and could take seven times as long for Rubin.

Equipment is also becoming harder to secure. Lead times have reportedly grown from three to six months to as long as eight months, and some customers are prioritizing delivery over price negotiations. TSMC has also reportedly ordered equipment without seeking its usual discounts or free upgrades.

The potential CoWoS increase comes alongside a separate price change. According to Liberty Times, TSMC has finalized plans to raise wafer prices by 3% to 6% from January 2027, with the largest increases expected for advanced process nodes such as 2nm and 3nm.

TSMC is expanding its packaging capacity, but bringing new facilities up to full production takes time. Analysts cited by the Commercial Times expect monthly CoWoS capacity to exceed 130,000 wafers in 2026 and reach 200,000 in 2027. Goldman Sachs has a lower 2026 estimate, projecting around 106,000 wafers per month, before a sharp increase in 2027.

TSMC is also working on larger package designs. CEO C.C. Wei said the company has already begun mass production of packaging five times the size of a standard reticle, with good yields. Larger 9x and 14x designs are in development, and TSMC is exploring CoPoS, a panel-based approach intended to support larger packages at lower cost. The Commercial Times points to 2028 for the 14x packaging timeline.

If CoWoS prices do rise, chip designers such as NVIDIA and AMD could face higher production costs. Whether those costs eventually affect product prices will depend on how much companies absorb or pass on to customers.