TSMC, or Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, is headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, and ranks among the world’s largest companies by market capitalization.
Founded in 1987 by Morris Chang, TSMC pioneered the dedicated semiconductor foundry model. It manufactures chips designed by other companies instead of primarily selling processors under its own consumer brand.
This business model made TSMC a crucial supplier to companies including Apple and Nvidia. Its advanced manufacturing processes support smartphones, data centers, graphics processors, and many other electronic products.
TSMC is often confused with chip designers such as Nvidia or device manufacturers such as Apple. TSMC generally makes the physical chips, while customers supply the designs and market the finished products. Its market value reflects that strategic role and expectations for future semiconductor demand.