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ASML says it sold 'absolutely nothing' in Europe in 2026

402 points · 900 comments · MC995

  1. t43562 · · focus · HN ↗
    It seems to be "dump on Europe" day which I'm sure is popular but lets just stop for a second and ask what the sales of ASML machinery to the US would be without the CHIPS act .... a massive subsidy. Aren't subsidies supposed to be a bad European thing??? I'm confused. Are we free market proponents or planned economy proponents?
    1. upupupandaway · · focus · HN ↗
      I don't think this is the main point (subsidies). ASML sold nothing in Europe because Europe is not a factor in semi manufacturing, primarily due to regulations and bureaucracy.
      1. AdamN · · focus · HN ↗
        They're making the point that you're wrong. The CHIPS act under Biden is a big subsidy to bring modern fabs to the US and without it there wouldn't be any orders in the US either (which has less regulation). The EU came up with a competitor to that subsidy but it wasn't generous enough to compete (neither regulation nor bureaucracy at play here).

        On a side note, none of the TSMC fabs in the US are cutting edge. They're all at least a generation behind.

        1. petcat · · focus · HN ↗
          > none of the TSMC fabs in the US are cutting edge. They're all at least a generation behind.

          TSMC Arizona is a "gigafab" built in phases. The 4nm fab is already built and in volume production of chips for Apple and Nvidia. The 3nm fab construction is complete, and the 2nm (current SOTA) is under construction slated to start chip production in 2028.

          1. crote · · focus · HN ↗
            TSMC is starting A16 mass production this year. Its 2nm process entered mass production in their domestic fabs in 2025.

            In other words: TSMC Arizona isn't SOTA - it is lagging 3 years (~1.5 nodes) behind.

            Taiwan isn't stupid. It knows that keeping SOTA domestically is the only way it can rely on the US for protection. The second their fabs aren't absolutely crucial for cutting-edge chips anymore, the US will drop them like a brick - and China will happily devour the country.

            1. AdamN · · focus · HN ↗
              Drop them like a brick is overblown. The US defended Taiwan long before TSMC became singular and will continue to even if SOTA is available elsewhere. Of course Taiwan is smart enough to know that the US isn't a monolithic decision-maker and just having companies like Apple on your side inside the US administration is important for long term security.
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