Oct-15th-2026– GlobalFoundries has been selected as the technology provider and operator for two new semiconductor fabs planned at its Malta, New York manufacturing site under a U.S.-Japan initiative that could provide up to $21 billion in funding.
The program would significantly expand U.S. semiconductor manufacturing capacity while strengthening cooperation between the United States and Japan in strategically important chip technologies.
An initial investment of approximately $10 billion is expected to accelerate construction of the first new 300mm fab at GlobalFoundries’ Malta campus. Groundbreaking is expected later this year, with the fab targeted to begin operations in 2029.
Once fully operational, the first facility is expected to add approximately 900,000 300mm wafers per year of U.S. manufacturing capacity.
A further investment of approximately $10 billion could support construction of a second fab at the same site. If completed, the second facility would add roughly another 900,000 wafers of annual capacity.
Under the initiative, Japan will provide the investment while GlobalFoundries will contribute its semiconductor technologies, manufacturing expertise and operational capabilities.
GlobalFoundries CEO Tim Breen described the project as a new model for semiconductor manufacturing cooperation between the U.S. and Japan.
“This is a bold new initiative for semiconductor manufacturing, bringing together the United States and Japan with GF’s differentiated technology and decades of manufacturing expertise to accelerate trusted capacity in New York.”
The scale of the project would make it one of the most significant additions to U.S. semiconductor capacity in recent years.
In parallel, GlobalFoundries has agreed with the U.S. Department of Commerce to amend its existing CHIPS and Science Act award.
Approximately $955 million will be reallocated to accelerate investments in:
The investments will support GlobalFoundries facilities in Malta, New York, and Burlington, Vermont.
These technologies are becoming increasingly important for communications infrastructure, AI systems and data centers. Silicon photonics in particular is gaining strategic importance as data-center operators look for higher-bandwidth and lower-power optical connectivity.
GlobalFoundries is also expanding its position in advanced packaging and silicon interposers, giving the company additional exposure to the rapidly growing AI and HPC semiconductor supply chain.
In a separate agreement, the U.S. Department of Commerce is expected to receive an approximately 4% equity stake in GlobalFoundries.
The structure would allow the U.S. government — and indirectly the American public — to participate in potential future value creation from GlobalFoundries while supporting domestic semiconductor manufacturing.
If both Malta fabs are completed, the projects could add approximately 1.8 million 300mm wafers of annual manufacturing capacity in the United States.
The initiative also highlights a broader change in semiconductor industrial policy. Governments are increasingly supporting not only leading-edge logic manufacturing, but also specialty technologies such as silicon photonics, SiGe and advanced packaging that are critical to automotive, communications, aerospace, defense and AI infrastructure.
For GlobalFoundries, the deal would further strengthen Malta as one of its most important global manufacturing locations while expanding its role in the U.S. semiconductor supply chain.