TSMC is commonly identified as the world’s most valuable chipmaker by market capitalization.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, usually called TSMC, dominates the business of manufacturing chips designed by other companies. Its foundries produce advanced processors for firms such as Apple, Nvidia, AMD, and Qualcomm, making TSMC a critical link in the global technology supply chain.
TSMC was founded in 1987 by Morris Chang, who pioneered the dedicated semiconductor-foundry model. Instead of designing and selling its own mainstream branded processors, the company manufactures chips for customers that provide their own designs. This separation allowed many “fabless” companies to innovate without building expensive fabrication plants.
TSMC is often confused with Samsung Electronics, which both designs chips and operates foundries. Intel also manufactures processors and has pursued outside-foundry customers. TSMC’s market value reflects its technological lead, scale, and central role in producing advanced chips, especially as AI demand has accelerated.