Investing in the Chip-Tech World
How much of the modern world is powered by chip-tech? From computers and TVs to cars and washing machines, chips (or semiconductor devices) enable almost all of our digital goods.
When the COVID-19 pandemic brought the regular world to a halt, it put a focus on our increasingly digital world and personal electronics. Even as consumption of major purchases like vehicles slowed down, more than 1 trillion chips were shipped globally in 2020.
As economies picked up and demand increased across all goods, a global semiconductor shortage started to impact the largest companies and economies in the world. All of a sudden, the global semiconductor field was front-and-center in the minds of politicians, executives, and investors.
This graphic from eToro breaks down the importance of the semiconductor industry, and where moves are being made in it.
Understanding the Semiconductor Supply Chain
At its core, a chip or integrated circuit (IC) is a small device that contains electronic circuits on a semiconducting material.
Only a few millimeters wide, these chips (usually constructed on silicon) have millions of transistors packed into a tiny device. When designed and utilized together, they power devices and allow them to operate.
It’s a complex device that requires an extremely robust manufacturing system, capable of making millions of precisely designed products. The modern semiconductor supply chain has two primary business models:
- Foundry model: Also known as fabless design, companies like NVidia and Qualcomm outsource production (Read more...)
