TSMC is the largest publicly traded semiconductor foundry and is headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company produces chips designed by other companies. This contract-manufacturing model allows customers such as fabless chip designers to develop processors without owning and operating all the factories needed to manufacture them.
TSMC was founded in 1987 by Morris Chang. Its specialized manufacturing processes and large production scale made it a crucial supplier for advanced processors used in smartphones, computers, data centers, and artificial-intelligence systems.
A foundry is different from an integrated device manufacturer. TSMC generally manufactures customers’ designs, whereas companies such as Intel historically designed and manufactured many of their own chips. TSMC’s market value reflects its strategic role in the global semiconductor supply chain.