TSMC, founded in 1987, is the world’s largest dedicated semiconductor foundry and ranks among the highest-market-cap companies.
The company’s full name is Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Unlike integrated chipmakers such as Intel, TSMC primarily manufactures chips designed by other companies. Its customers have included Apple, Nvidia, AMD, and Qualcomm.
TSMC pioneered the pure-play foundry model, allowing chip designers to avoid owning expensive fabrication plants. This specialization helped it become central to advanced processors used in smartphones, computers, vehicles, and artificial-intelligence systems.
Market capitalization changes daily with share prices, so rankings vary. TSMC’s importance is also measured by manufacturing scale and process technology, not only by its valuation. Its shares trade in Taiwan, while American depositary receipts trade in the United States.