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    TSMC: The Quiet Giant Powering AI in Asia

    TSMC's dominance in semiconductor manufacturing positions it to significantly impact AI growth in Asia.

    Anonymous
    3 min read23 July 2024
    TSMC AI Asia

    AI Snapshot

    The TL;DR: what matters, fast.

    TSMC briefly became the first Asian firm with a market capitalization over a trillion dollars, surpassing Berkshire Hathaway to eighth globally.

    As the world's largest semiconductor manufacturer, TSMC provides chips for major tech companies like Apple, AMD, Intel, and Nvidia, as well as the cryptocurrency mining industry.

    Despite a recent retreat in market capitalization, TSMC remains the most valuable chipmaker and is poised for future growth due to increasing demand for semiconductors in AI and other sectors.

    Who should pay attention: Investors | AI manufacturers | Semiconductor industry

    What changes next: TSMC’s valuation will continue to climb with AI demands.

    TSMC becomes the first Asian company to reach a $1T market capitalization due to surging AI demand.,The company's success is driven by its massive portfolio of tech and manufacturing giants, including Apple and Nvidia.,TSMC's dominance in semiconductor manufacturing positions it to benefit from the growth of AI and potentially dethrone Meta as one of the world's most valuable companies.

    The Rise of a Quiet Giant

    Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC) made history on June 20 by becoming the first Asian firm to achieve a market capitalization of over a trillion dollars. This milestone briefly propelled TSMC past Berkshire Hathaway, making it the eighth most valuable company globally. The company's rise has been driven by its extensive portfolio of tech and manufacturing clients who rely on its semiconductors.

    Apple and Other Tech Giants

    As the world's largest semiconductor manufacturer, TSMC boasts an impressive clientele, including Apple, AMD, Intel, Nvidia, and Qualcomm. Apple is TSMC's most significant customer, with around a fifth of its total revenue coming from the iPhone maker. TSMC's unparalleled fabrication capabilities have placed it at the top of the market, with competitors such as AMD, Intel, and Nvidia even using TSMC as a fabricator for some of their chips. The increasing demand for semiconductors also aligns with the broader trend of rising Asian Stocks Surge on AI, Dollar Steady After Fed Remarks.

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    A Stronghold in Cryptocurrency Mining

    TSMC's semiconductors are also dominant in the cryptocurrency mining industry. The lion's share of miners, including the popular Bitmain Antminer models, use TSMC semiconductors. In China, 98% of the rigs used to mine Bitcoin are made by Bitmain and feature TSMC chips. Samsung has also turned to TSMC's chips to expand its mining business. This push for advanced chip manufacturing is critical as South Korea Ramps Into AI Supremacy through strategic deals.

    A Temporary Retreat and Future Prospects

    At the time of writing, TSMC's market capitalization has retreated to a more modest $859.69 billion, placing it behind Berkshire Hathaway and just ahead of Eli Lilly and Tesla. However, TSMC remains the most valuable chipmaker, with Broadcom trailing in 12th place at $732.4 billion.

    TSMC's unique position allows it to capitalize on its competitors' successes. As the demand for products like iPhones and Nvidia's GPUs grows, so does the need for more semiconductors. If the artificial intelligence sector continues to expand and TSMC meets the demand for new chips, it could potentially dethrone Meta (formerly Facebook) and join the ranks of the world's most valuable companies. This growth also benefits other players in the region, as seen in the AI Boom Fuels Asian Market Surge. The ongoing development in Taiwan’s AI Law Is Quietly Redefining What “Responsible Innovation” Means will also play a role in the broader AI landscape.

    Comment and Share

    What do you think about TSMC's potential to shape the future of AI in Asia? Share your thoughts in the comments below and don't forget to Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on AI and AGI developments.

    Anonymous
    3 min read23 July 2024

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    Latest Comments (2)

    Julien Simon
    Julien Simon@julien_s_ai
    AI
    16 November 2025

    C'est fascinant comme TSMC façonne le futur de l'AI, même pour nos *startups* en Europe. Cette *technology* est clef.

    Kevin Wong
    Kevin Wong@kwong_sg
    AI
    3 November 2025

    Just catching up on this! While TSMC's role is indisputable, I wonder if the article gives enough airtime to the actual AI development happening *within* Asia. We've got pretty sharp minds here building the software and applications too, not just relying on the hardware. It's a whole ecosystem, innit?

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