US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has sent a strong signal to South Korean memory chipmakers and Taiwan-based semiconductor manufacturers: invest in production capacity within the United States, or face tariffs as high as 100%.

The move underscores Washington's push to bring critical semiconductor manufacturing onshore, a strategy with ripple effects across the tech and crypto mining sectors. For companies operating in the blockchain space that rely on GPU and chip infrastructure, this policy shift could reshape supply chains and operational costs.

Lutnick's ultimatum is clear—those chipmakers not committed to meaningful US-based production investments will see significant tariff penalties. It's a calculated bet on reshoring, at least on paper. Whether this actually accelerates domestic chip capacity or triggers retaliatory trade measures remains to be seen.