TSMC is the world’s largest contract chipmaker and manufactures processors for many major technology brands.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, commonly abbreviated TSMC, was founded in Taiwan 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 separation allows firms such as Nvidia, Apple, and AMD to design processors while relying on TSMC’s advanced factories for production. TSMC operates fabrication plants in Taiwan and has also announced or built facilities in other countries.
TSMC is often confused with a chip designer such as Nvidia or a company that both designs and manufactures many of its own processors. Its strategic importance comes from process technology, manufacturing scale, and its role in the global semiconductor supply chain.