TSMC operates the world’s largest semiconductor foundry by revenue and market share.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, commonly called TSMC, manufactures chips designed by other companies. This business model is known as a pure-play foundry: TSMC generally does not sell chips under its own consumer brand, allowing customers to retain control of their designs.
TSMC was founded in Taiwan in 1987 by Morris Chang. Its advanced manufacturing processes supply major technology companies, including designers of smartphone processors, graphics processors, and artificial-intelligence accelerators. The company’s scale and technical lead have made it one of the world’s most valuable semiconductor businesses.
TSMC is distinct from Intel and Samsung Electronics, which both design and manufacture products, although each also offers manufacturing services. Foundry market share refers to chip-production revenue, while stock-market rankings refer to market capitalization; the two measures are related but not identical.