TSMC is the largest semiconductor contract manufacturer and a major contender among the world’s most valuable companies by market capitalization.
Founded in Taiwan in 1987, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company pioneered the dedicated foundry model. It manufactures chips designed by other companies rather than primarily selling processors under its own consumer brand.
TSMC produces advanced chips for customers including Apple, Nvidia, AMD, and many other technology companies. Its role in leading-edge manufacturing has made it strategically important to smartphones, data centers, artificial intelligence, automobiles, and other industries.
TSMC is often confused with chip designers such as Nvidia or CPU manufacturers such as Intel. The distinction is important: TSMC’s core business is fabrication, while many of its customers create the chip architectures and product designs.