TSMC manufactures chips designed by many leading technology companies and is often among the highest-valued firms.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, usually called TSMC, was founded in 1987 by Morris Chang in Hsinchu, Taiwan. It pioneered the dedicated semiconductor foundry model: customers design chips, while TSMC manufactures them without selling competing branded processors of its own.
This separation helped companies such as fabless chip designers focus on architecture and products while outsourcing fabrication. TSMC produces chips for smartphones, computers, data centers, vehicles, and other devices. Its customers have included major technology companies, but exact customer relationships and product arrangements can vary by generation and contract.
TSMC’s importance is linked to advanced process technology, enormous fabrication plants, and the difficulty of reproducing that manufacturing ecosystem. The company operates facilities in Taiwan and has announced or built projects in other locations, including Arizona and Japan. A frequent confusion is calling TSMC a chip designer; its defining role is manufacturing chips designed by other companies.