IBM NanoStack CFET: Turning Patents Into Chip Royalties

IBM just unveiled NanoStack, its take on the CFET transistor architecture that succeeds gate-all-around as the next step in chip scaling — and it could turn IBM's patent portfolio into a real semiconductor royalty business.IBM claims NanoStack delivers up to a 50% jump in compute performance or a 70% gain in energy efficiency versus its 2021 two-nanometer IP. IBM sold its chip manufacturing business to GlobalFoundries back in 2015, yet it still holds one of the largest patent portfolios in the industry, and IP licensing and custom development income made up nearly 10% of IBM's GAAP net income in 2025. We break down IBM's 2025 revenue, R&D spend, and licensing income, then identify who benefits most across the supply chain, including ASML, Lam Research, Tokyo Electron, and Screen Holdings as advanced lithography, etch, deposition, and wafer-cleaning suppliers to Rapidus, the Japanese foundry startup aiming to ramp production by 2027.This is part of our ongoing coverage of the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain and the next 15 years of chip advancement.Full research is available for members at Semiconductor Insider — join at chipstockinvestor.com.Get 15% off your membership with our link: fiscal.ai/csiContent in this video is for general information or entertainment only and is not specific or individual investment advice. Forecasts and information presented may not develop as predicted and there is no guarantee any strategies presented will be successful. All investing involves risk, and you could lose some or all of your principal.