How Transparent Capacity Pricing Solves the $200B Foundry Waste Problem

Executive Summary

The semiconductor foundry industry wastes $150-200 billion annually through a broken capacity allocation system built on non-binding customer “commitments.” This analysis explains how a Semi Futures Market (SFM) transforms opaque bilateral negotiations into transparent, tradeable contracts—benefiting foundries, fabless companies, and the entire industry. We detail the mechanics of how foundries float capacity to market, why major customers gain flexibility, how startups access previously unavailable allocations, and how market pricing creates accountability that internal governance cannot.