TSMC operates the world's largest semiconductor foundry by contract manufacturing volume.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, commonly called TSMC, was founded in 1987 by Morris Chang in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Its pioneering pure-play foundry model allowed other companies to design chips without operating their own fabrication plants.
TSMC manufactures processors and other chips for many leading technology companies, including designs used in smartphones, computers, automobiles, and artificial-intelligence systems. It generally manufactures chips designed by customers rather than selling consumer devices under its own brand.
A common mix-up is treating TSMC as a chip-design company like Nvidia. Nvidia designs many important chips, while TSMC is the manufacturer that fabricates chips for customers. TSMC's market importance comes from its advanced production technologies and enormous manufacturing scale.