TSMC is Taiwan’s largest semiconductor manufacturer and makes chips for many leading technology brands.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, abbreviated TSMC, was founded in 1987 by Morris Chang. It pioneered the dedicated foundry model, manufacturing chips designed by other companies rather than primarily selling chips under its own consumer brand. This business model made TSMC a central supplier to the global technology industry.
TSMC manufactures advanced processors and other integrated circuits for customers in smartphones, computers, networking, automobiles, and artificial intelligence. Its customers include major chip designers, while TSMC focuses on production and process technology. That distinction is why the company is often described as a foundry.
TSMC’s market value has been influenced by demand for advanced nodes and AI-related computing. It is not the same company as Taiwan’s many chip-design firms, and it is separate from Samsung Electronics, which both designs and manufactures semiconductors.