• Mon - Fri 9.00 - 19.00
Open

Blog

Tamara News  /  Blog
15 Oct 2026
Nvidia Huawei AI chip market share

Huawei Is Closing the Gap on Nvidia in China’s AI Chip Market

Categories Tech

New data on Nvidia Huawei AI chip market share in China shows just how much ground Nvidia has given up to its homegrown rival over the past year. According to an IDC report highlighted by Reuters on October 13, Nvidia’s share of China’s data-center AI chip market fell to 34% in the first half of 2026, down sharply from the prior year. Huawei climbed to 28% in the same period, closing to within six percentage points of the longtime leader.

The shift is as much about shipment volumes as market share percentages. IDC pegged the total Chinese AI accelerator market at 2.008 million units shipped in the first half of the year. Nvidia shipped 678,000 of those units, down 44% year over year. Huawei shipped 572,000, up from just over 300,000 units a year earlier.

Export Controls Are Doing Most of the Work

The research attributes much of Nvidia’s decline to continued US export controls restricting the sale of advanced AI chips to Chinese customers, a policy that has been tightening rather than easing. Beijing’s parallel push for domestic AI chip self-sufficiency is cited as a contributing factor as well. The IDC figures don’t isolate exactly how much of Huawei’s gain is due to policy support versus genuine technical progress on its own chip designs.

Nvidia Huawei AI chip market share illustration

The Rest of the Field Is Growing Too

Nvidia and Huawei aren’t the only players moving. Alibaba’s T-Head chip division holds 7% of the Chinese market, Cambricon has 5%, Baidu’s Kunlunxin unit has 4%, and Hygon holds 3%. IDC tracks 11 Chinese chip vendors in total, and nine of them reported year-over-year shipment growth. That’s a sign the market is fragmenting across multiple domestic suppliers, rather than consolidating around a single Nvidia challenger.

A Quiet Shift From GPUs to Specialized Chips

One of the more structurally significant findings in the IDC data: non-GPU accelerators, including application-specific chips (ASICs) and neural processing units (NPUs), outsold traditional GPUs by volume in China for the first time. Non-GPU shipments rose nearly 80% to 1.016 million units, while GPU shipments fell 26% to 991,000 units. That split matters. It suggests Chinese AI developers are increasingly willing to build around specialized, often domestically designed hardware, rather than waiting for GPU access to improve. That trend could make it structurally harder for Nvidia to regain share, even if export rules eventually loosen.

What the Nvidia Huawei AI Chip Market Share Shift Means Globally

For Nvidia, the China numbers are a reminder of a growing divide. The world’s largest AI chip market by unit volume is increasingly operating on a different hardware trajectory than the rest of the world, where the company still dominates. For Huawei and its domestic peers, sustained growth despite comparatively less mature chip designs suggests China’s AI buildout is prioritizing supply security over raw performance, at least for now. Whether that calculus shifts again will likely depend on both the trajectory of US export policy and how quickly domestic Chinese chipmakers can close the remaining technical gap. For related coverage of the broader AI hardware landscape, see Tamara News’ reporting on Microsoft’s new in-house AI chip, the memory chip shortage squeezing the wider industry, and how Brussels is now enforcing the EU AI Act.

Questions About Nvidia and Huawei’s Standing in China

What share of China’s AI chip market does Nvidia hold now?
34% as of the first half of 2026, according to IDC data, down sharply from the prior year.

How close is Huawei to catching up?
Huawei held 28% of the market in the same period, about six percentage points behind Nvidia, with unit shipments nearly doubling year over year.

Why is Nvidia losing ground in China specifically?
IDC’s research attributes most of the decline to US export controls restricting sales of advanced AI chips to Chinese customers.

Are GPUs still the dominant type of AI chip in China?
No. Non-GPU accelerators such as ASICs and NPUs outsold GPUs for the first time in the first half of 2026.

Which other companies are gaining share in China’s AI chip market?
Alibaba’s T-Head (7%), Cambricon (5%), Baidu’s Kunlunxin (4%) and Hygon (3%) all hold meaningful shares, and 9 of the 11 vendors IDC tracks reported shipment growth.

Sources

15 Oct 2026
ETIAS start date

ETIAS Not Live Yet: What Travellers to Europe Need Now

Categories EU, Visa Updates

The ETIAS start date has not been announced. ETIAS is not yet in operation, and no travel authorisation applications are being accepted. The Dutch government’s ETIAS page says the EU will announce the start date several months before launch, and it names no date. Meanwhile the Entry/Exit System (EES) is already running: the European Commission says it became fully operational on 10 April 2026. Travellers from visa-exempt countries should treat any website selling an ETIAS application today with suspicion.

In this guide

Where ETIAS stands

The Netherlands says ETIAS will apply to travellers from 59 visa-exempt countries entering 30 European countries for short stays, usually up to 90 days in any 180-day period. VisasNews reported in May that ETIAS remains expected in the final quarter of 2026, that it could slip, and that a six-month phase-in would follow. That article cites no official EU document for the timetable, so treat the quarter as a press expectation rather than a confirmed date. Nothing on the Dutch page confirms it.

What EES already requires

According to the European Commission, EES replaces passport stamping for non-EU nationals on short stays. Each time they cross an external border of the 29 countries using the system, travellers are registered with their name, travel document details, fingerprints and facial image, plus the date and place of entry and exit and any refusal of entry. VisasNews adds that implementation varies by airport and that biometric collection can be temporarily suspended when queues are long. Allow extra time at first-time crossings.

Fee and validity

CIBT, a visa services firm, reports that the European Commission announced a rise in the ETIAS fee from EUR 7 to EUR 20 on 17 July 2025, that the fee applies to travellers aged 18 to 70, and that an approval lasts three years or until the passport expires. CIBT also says the Commission had not confirmed an exact launch date. This is a secondary source, and the Dutch page does not mention the fee, so confirm the amount on the official EU site once applications open.

Who will need ETIAS

ETIAS is for people who can enter without a visa, not for those who already need a Schengen visa. Consider a hypothetical case. Diego is a Colombian chef invited to a food fair in Amsterdam. He does not need a Schengen visa for a short stay today. Once ETIAS is live and the phase-in ends, he would need an authorisation before boarding. Until then he needs only a valid passport and to register at the border under EES. Travellers heading to Britain face a similar tool, covered in our report on UK ETA enforcement.

What travellers should do

Do not pay for an ETIAS application now, because none exists. Check your passport validity, keep return-ticket and accommodation details to hand, and expect biometric registration at the border. Bookmark the official EU travel site and the foreign ministry page for your destination, since the start date will be announced there. For other short-stay rules, see our guide to Thailand’s visa exemption rules, and use our visa eligibility checker to compare destinations.

ETIAS questions

Is ETIAS in force?

No. The Dutch government says it is not yet in operation and no applications are being collected.

When will ETIAS start?

No official date has been given. The Dutch page says the EU will announce it several months ahead. One news report expects the final quarter of 2026.

Is EES already running?

Yes. The European Commission says EES became fully operational on 10 April 2026.

How much will ETIAS cost?

A visa services firm reports EUR 20 for travellers aged 18 to 70. Confirm on the official EU site when applications open.

Who needs ETIAS?

Travellers from visa-exempt countries making short stays in the participating European countries. Those who need a visa are not covered.

Can I apply for ETIAS now?

No. Any site offering an application today is not an official service.

Sources

15 Oct 2026
TSMC Q3 2026 earnings

TSMC’s Quarterly Results Show Just How Hungry the World Is for AI Chips

Categories Business, Tech

TSMC Q3 2026 earnings are due out today, October 15. The world’s largest contract chipmaker has already guided investors to expect roughly 37% year-over-year revenue growth at the midpoint of its forecast. TSMC’s own September monthly sales report, released ahead of the full results, showed NT$511.86 billion for the month, up 54.6% from a year earlier. That reinforces that demand tied to artificial intelligence computing has yet to show any sign of slowing.

The company’s guidance for the quarter put revenue at $44.6 billion to $45.8 billion. TSMC has already used the run-up to the earnings call to raise its outlook for the full year, now expecting 2026 revenue growth of slightly above 40%.

Why Everyone Is Watching Margins in TSMC Q3 2026 Earnings

Revenue growth alone isn’t the whole story. TSMC guided third-quarter gross margin to a range of 65% to 67%, down from 67.7% in the second quarter. Analysts have flagged margin trends as one of the most closely watched metrics on today’s call. A chipmaker can grow revenue quickly while still giving up profitability, if the mix shifts toward more capital-intensive manufacturing processes or if pricing power weakens even briefly. Investors are looking for confirmation that TSMC can keep expanding output without sacrificing much of that margin cushion.

TSMC Q3 2026 earnings illustration

Where the Money Is Going: 2-Nanometer and Advanced Packaging

TSMC’s 2026 capital spending plan runs to $60 billion-$64 billion, with 70% to 80% of that earmarked for advanced process technologies. That spending underpins two themes analysts expect to dominate today’s call. One is the ramp of TSMC’s 2-nanometer manufacturing node, the company’s most advanced process yet. The other is continued expansion of advanced packaging capacity, the technology that lets multiple chips be combined into a single package, which has become a bottleneck for AI accelerator production industry-wide.

The AI Demand Story Behind the Numbers

TSMC doesn’t design its own AI chips, but it manufactures them for nearly every major player in the industry. That makes its results one of the clearest proxies available for the underlying strength of AI chip demand, rather than any single company’s performance. The roughly 50% revenue growth implied by TSMC’s own monthly sales data points to continued strong bookings from its largest customers. At the same time, some analysts and investors have begun openly debating whether spending on AI infrastructure across the industry has outrun near-term demand.

What to Watch When Results Land

Beyond the headline revenue and margin figures, today’s call is expected to address capital spending guidance for 2027, the pace of 2-nanometer yield improvements, and management’s read on whether customer demand signals still justify the current pace of expansion. A result in line with or above the guided range would reinforce the view that AI-driven chip demand remains a durable trend, rather than a short-term spike. A miss, however small, would likely reignite the debate over whether the broader AI infrastructure buildout is moving faster than actual usage can support. For related coverage of how that debate is playing out across the chip and AI infrastructure sector, see Tamara News’ reporting on the memory chip price shortage, Microsoft’s new in-house AI chip, and warnings that AI data center spending may be running ahead of demand.

Frequently Asked Questions About TSMC’s Earnings

When does TSMC report its Q3 2026 earnings?
TSMC’s full third-quarter 2026 results and conference call are scheduled for October 15, 2026.

How much revenue growth is TSMC expecting?
Guidance put Q3 revenue at $44.6 billion to $45.8 billion, implying about 37% year-over-year growth at the midpoint, with full-year 2026 growth now guided to slightly above 40%.

Why does TSMC’s gross margin matter so much to investors?
Margin guidance of 65% to 67% for the quarter, down from 67.7% in Q2, signals whether rapid revenue growth is coming at the cost of profitability as production mix shifts toward more advanced, capital-intensive processes.

How much is TSMC spending on new capacity in 2026?
Its 2026 capital spending plan is $60 billion to $64 billion, with 70% to 80% directed toward advanced process technologies including the 2-nanometer node.

Does TSMC’s performance tell us anything about AI chip demand generally?
Yes. Because TSMC manufactures chips for most major AI chip designers rather than competing with them directly, its results are widely used as a proxy for underlying AI infrastructure demand across the industry.

Sources

15 Oct 2026
Vietnam company formation

Vietnam Company Formation: ERC-First Route for Foreigners

Categories Business

Vietnam company formation for foreign investors can now start with the company itself instead of the project licence. Under Decree 96/2026/ND-CP, a foreign investor may obtain an Enterprise Registration Certificate (ERC) either before or after an Investment Registration Certificate (IRC), according to law firm DFDL. The new route follows Article 19 of the 2025 Law on Investment. The company must then obtain the IRC within 12 months, and until it does it cannot carry out the project.

In this explainer

The old sequence

Foreign-invested companies traditionally obtained the IRC first, then the ERC, then contributed charter capital and applied for any sub-licences. Apolat Legal describes the traditional method in those steps. The effect was that a foreign founder could not rent premises, open a capital account or hire staff through a Vietnamese entity until the investment licence was issued.

The ERC-first route

Apolat says the new method reverses the order. The ERC is processed within three working days of a complete, valid application, in line with a domestic company. After that the company can open a direct investment capital account, contribute capital, lease premises, and apply for the IRC and sub-licences in parallel. The company must obtain the IRC within 12 months of the ERC, and it can change its registered business lines only after the IRC is granted. The legal basis is Article 72 of Decree 96/2026/ND-CP.

The sources disagree on one date. DFDL says the Law on Investment 2025 took effect on 1 March 2026, while Apolat says 1 April 2026. Decree 96 itself is dated 31 March 2026, according to DFDL. Check the official text before you rely on either date.

Risks and open questions

Apolat warns that investors must meet the market access conditions in force when the establishment dossier is filed. If they do not, they may face IRC refusal, liability for damages or a business ban. DFDL lists several unresolved points: whether charter capital must still be paid within 90 days of ERC issuance under the Law on Enterprises, whether a direct investment capital account can be opened before the IRC, and whether an ERC can be obtained before an investment policy approval where one is required. Decree 96 does not state the consequence of missing the 12-month IRC deadline, and the enterprise registration forms do not yet include the market access undertaking the decree requires.

Who it suits

Apolat suggests the new method suits sectors Vietnam has committed to liberalise, while the traditional route may be safer for conditional or uncommitted sectors. Consider a hypothetical case. Camila is a Brazilian founder planning a software services unit in Ho Chi Minh City. Under the ERC-first route she could lease an office and open an account while the IRC is processed, but she could not start the project until the licence arrives. If her sector had a market access condition, the safer path might still be the old sequence. A local lawyer should confirm which applies.

For comparison with other jurisdictions, read our guides to the UAE companies law amendments and Oman free zone regulations. Our company formation page explains the options we cover.

Vietnam company formation questions

Can a foreign investor now form a Vietnamese company before getting the investment certificate?

Yes. DFDL says the ERC may be obtained before or after the IRC under Article 72 of Decree 96/2026.

How long does the ERC take?

Apolat says within three working days of a complete, valid application under the new method.

What is the deadline for the IRC?

The company must obtain the IRC within 12 months of the ERC, per both firms.

Can the company run its project before the IRC?

No. Apolat says it may only implement the project after the IRC is granted.

Is the new route risk-free?

No. Market access conditions at the time of filing apply, and DFDL lists several unresolved points on capital and approvals.

Do I need a lawyer?

Both sources advise caution, and sector conditions vary, so local legal advice is sensible.

Sources

15 Oct 2026
Bumble Ithaca Holdings acquisition

Bumble Just Sold Itself for Less Than a Tenth of What It Was Worth at IPO

Categories Business, Tech

The Bumble Ithaca Holdings acquisition announced on October 13 takes the dating app private in an all-cash deal worth $1.3 billion. It ends a rocky five-year run as a public company. Under the terms, Ithaca Holdings will pay Bumble shareholders $6.05 per share in cash. That’s a premium of about 138% over the stock’s unaffected closing price on October 9, and roughly 119% over its 30-day volume-weighted average price.

The deal’s structure says as much about where Bumble has been as where it’s going. A premium that large over recent trading prices reflects just how far the stock had fallen before the announcement, not a sign the company is being bought at a peak.

Inside the Bumble Ithaca Holdings Acquisition Deal

Ithaca describes itself as a holding company focused on “enduring, market-leading technology businesses.” It pairs what it calls frontier technology with operating expertise to renew established companies. It’s co-led by Ravi Gupta and John Hegeman, who will become Bumble’s co-CEOs once the deal closes, working alongside founder Whitney Wolfe Herd. In a joint statement, Gupta and Hegeman said the investment is “a bet on the future of humanity,” framing the acquisition around using technology to support human connection rather than replace it. Reporting on the deal has noted that Ithaca has not yet detailed how it plans to use artificial intelligence within Bumble’s product.

The deal has Bumble’s board unanimous backing. An independent Special Committee, advised by outside legal and financial counsel, recommended the transaction. The full board approved it, with Wolfe Herd recusing herself given her dual role as founder and CEO. Board chair Ann Mather said the committee “determined that this transaction with Ithaca represents the best outcome for our shareholders.” Affiliates of Blackstone, Bumble’s largest shareholder, and Wolfe Herd then approved the deal by written consent, satisfying the shareholder approval requirement without a full vote.

Bumble Ithaca Holdings acquisition illustration

A Steep Drop From a $14 Billion IPO

Bumble went public in February 2021 at a valuation of roughly $14 billion. The $1.3 billion sale price, five years later, reflects a company that has struggled with a sustained decline in paying users and revenue. According to Reuters-sourced figures cited in coverage of the deal, Bumble’s paying user base fell 16.4% to 3.2 million in the second quarter of 2026 alone. Revenue has declined for nearly two consecutive years. Wolfe Herd, who returned to the CEO role in March 2025 after stepping back in 2023, has spent the time since cutting costs and revising the app’s core features, including dropping the rule that required women to message first.

What Happens to Bumble’s Public Listing

Once the transaction closes, Bumble will operate as a privately held company. It will keep offices in London, Austin and New York while remaining headquartered in Austin. Shareholders will receive an information statement under SEC rules, and certain deal participants will file a separate disclosure given the company’s move to private ownership. Bumble said it will still file its Q3 2026 quarterly report by November 9, but will not hold an earnings call for that quarter. That’s a sign the company is already operating with one foot out of the public markets. On social media, Bumble described the sale as “a new chapter, but not a new mission.”

What This Means for the Dating App Sector

Bumble’s exit from public markets lands amid a broader reckoning for dating apps. The sector has struggled with user fatigue, falling engagement among younger users, and intensifying competition for attention. Whether Ithaca’s technology-focused approach can reverse those trends, or whether Bumble simply becomes a smaller, private experiment in product turnaround, will likely take several quarters to become clear. The company won’t be holding public earnings calls to report on it. For related coverage of how investors are reassessing technology valuations more broadly this quarter, see Tamara News’ reporting on warnings over AI data center spending and Anthropic’s warning on self-replicating AI devices.

What People Are Asking About the Bumble Deal

How much is Ithaca Holdings paying for Bumble?
$1.3 billion in an all-cash deal, at $6.05 per share.

Does the deal price represent a premium or a discount for shareholders?
A premium relative to recent trading: about 138% above the unaffected closing price on October 9. It is, however, far below Bumble’s 2021 IPO valuation of roughly $14 billion.

Who will run Bumble after the deal closes?
Ithaca co-founders Ravi Gupta and John Hegeman will become co-CEOs, working alongside founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, who is staying involved.

Why was Bumble’s stock down so much before the sale?
Paying users fell 16.4% to 3.2 million in Q2 2026 alone, and revenue had declined for nearly two consecutive years.

Will Bumble still trade on the stock market?
No. Once the deal closes, Bumble becomes a privately held company. It will no longer operate as a publicly traded business or hold quarterly earnings calls.

Sources

1 … 12 13 14 15 16 … 262