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05 Sep 2023 — 4 min read

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Huawei Smartphone:

Huawei, previously hit by U.S. semiconductor sanctions, launched a new phone in China with a 7-nanometer processor. While the processor is equivalent to 2018's iPhone, it highlights potential U.S. sanction inefficacies on China's chip tech progress.
Bloomberg acquired a Huawei Mate 60 Pro which was then analyzed by TechInsights. They discovered a Kirin 9000s chip made in China by the Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC). The chip, produced using the N+2 node 7-nanometer process, matches Apple's 2018 iPhone processors. However, Apple's current chips, crafted by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, utilize a 4-nanometer process.
This release shows U.S. sanctions have only slightly slowed China's progress in semiconductors. TechInsights noted SMIC's rapid tech advancements, especially in the 7nm domain. Paul Triolo of Albright Stonebridge Group warned of potential tighter controls on U.S. exports to Huawei. China's CGTN highlighted that this is Huawei's premier advanced Kirin processor since 2020's U.S, restrictions on sales to Huawei.

Uranium Supply:

Europe is grappling with energy concerns after a coup in Niger disrupted its uranium supply chain. Niger, rich in uranium, is a significant supplier, especially to France, which uses the resource to power two-thirds of its electricity through nuclear power.
Post-coup tensions have risen after new Nigerian leadership halted uranium exports and signaled dissatisfaction with France. France gains considerably more from the uranium exports than Niger does. Despite the political turbulence, French company Orano continues its mining activities in Niger.
While Niger is a primary supplier, France also sources uranium from countries like Kazakhstan, Australia, and Namibia. The EU remains confident, suggesting their uranium reserves are sufficient to handle short-term disruptions. Niger has raised the price of uranium from €0.08 to €200 per kilogram.

Stake Hack:

Crypto casino Stake has been hit by a security exploit, leading to a loss of over $41.3 million from its accounts. Analyst Cyvers noted a withdrawal of $15.7 million in ether (ETH) from Stake's Ethereum wallet due to a suspected private key leak.
Additionally, $25.6 million was reportedly stolen from Stake’s Polygon and Binance Smart Chain wallets. Last year, Stake reported a revenue of $2.6 billion. In light of recent events, there's a pressing need for the firm to enhance their security protocols.

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