Qualcomm Confirms Talks With Samsung On 2nm Chip Production Deal
In Focus
- Qualcomm plans to outsource chip production for foundry companies
- The company will be returning to Samsung after a five-year break
- Samsung stock gained 2% on news of talks with Qualcomm
U.S. company Qualcomm is reportedly discussing production of 2-nanometer chips with Samsung Electronics. A Qualcomm Samsung deal would see the semiconductor maker outsource production of its latest chips to the South Korea tech giant. According to Yahoo Finance, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon confirmed the talks to reporters at CES 2026 event.
“Among many foundry companies, we have started discussions with Samsung Electronics for outsourcing production using the latest 2-nanometer process. We have also completed the design work with the goal of commercialization soon,” Amon said as cited by South Korea’s HankYung.
Samsung has Previously Produced Chips for Qualcomm
This is the first time that Qualcomm has made publicly its plan to contract Samsung Foundry to manufacture application processors using the 2nm process. The U.S. semiconductor maker had previously contracted Samsung Foundry to manufacture its cutting-edge application processors.
However, the company shifted production to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) in 2022. Last week, Samsung’s Chip Chief Jun Young-hyun said supply deals with top clients had prepared its foundry business for a great leap forward.
Recently, the South Korea company said its HBM4 memory chip has earned customer approval as it seeks to regain industry leadership. If the companies enter a deal, Samsung will resume production of Qualcomm’s advanced chips after a five-year break.
Why Did Qualcomm Shift Chip Production to TSMC?
Qualcomm, which plans to expand its Snapdragon X Elite Android PC ecosystem, shifted chip production from Samsung after the company failed to meet its requirements. The semiconductor maker reportedly believes that Samsung has resolved issues like heat generation and low yield that had caused it to change suppliers.
Analysts say the move may be part of Qualcomm’s broader strategy to diversify production of its most advanced chips. Previously, the company relied solely on TSMC to manufacture its chips.
Some analysts think Samsung’s growing technological credibility, like closing the $16.5 billion deal to manufacture Tesla’s next-generation AI6 chip, might have encouraged the move. Industry insiders suggest that the South Korea tech giant might secure more deals from global companies if the Qualcomm Samsung partnership pulls through.
Samsung Stock Gains on Qualcomm Talks
Stock of the consumer electronics maker surged 2% on January 7, 2026, on news of a possible Samsung foundry contract with Qualcomm. The potential collaboration represents a significant opportunity for the South Korea company, which competes in the high-end chip production industry.
Samsung’s share price rise points to growing investor interest in the company’s ambitions of securing next-generation chip making contracts from top customers. News of a possible Qualcomm Samsung contract comes at a time when competition in chip production continues to intensify.
Leading chipmakers are continuously pushing towards smaller process nodes capable of delivering energy efficiency and high performance. The 2-nanometer technology is among the most advanced processor production processes in the industry.
