A16 (1.6nm with Super Power Rail)

A16 is TSMC's next node after N2, with a backside power delivery design called Super Power Rail. It is aimed at HPC chips with dense power delivery. TSMC's original plan was volume production in 2H26; the April 2026 roadmap moved it to 2027.

Why it matters to the stock. A16 is the first node TSMC is positioning specifically for AI-class chips. Any slip past 2H26 pushes the next leading-edge revenue step into 2027, which is the main reason the 2027 growth debate is open.