AMD opens EFB front beyond CoWoS, putting Taiwan substrate trio in play - digitimes

The ongoing AI data center expansion is driving robust demand for high-performance computing and networking chips, propelling the global IC substrate industry into a new growth phase. This trend has e... Read original →

AMD’s strategic pivot to EFB architecture signals a shift in AI data center chips from monolithic advanced packaging toward system-level interconnect optimization. This move pressures IC substrate technology to evolve beyond conventional ABF toward higher layer counts and finer line widths, directly boosting capex at Taiwan, China’s top substrate makers—Unimicron, Kinsus, and Nan Ya PCB. While TSMC dominates CoWoS, EFB’s potential bypass of silicon interposers could erode its pricing power in HPC ecosystems. UMC and Wistron may seize opportunities in secondary packaging supply chains. Geopolitically, U.S. CHIPS Act subsidies for domestic packaging could push AMD to diversify orders to Southeast Asia, heightening exposure for Taiwan-based suppliers. Within 18 months, substrates will become a critical performance bottleneck; firms mastering mSAP or substrate-like PCBs will command pricing leverage, while rivals overly reliant on TSMC’s CoWoS face mounting cost and delivery risks.