Taipei, Sept. 26 (CNA) The Ministry of Economic Affairs has approved applications by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) to invest US$44 billion in the United States since December 2020 as the chipmaker pursues a US$265 billion investment plan in Arizona, the ministry said.
Data compiled by the MOEA’s Department of Investment Review showed that it has approved seven applications filed by TSMC since December 2020.
The first, approved that month, allowed the company to remit US$30.001 million to the U.S. to establish its Arizona subsidiary, TSMC Arizona, marking the start of a series of investment projects in the state.
TSMC announced in March 2025 that it would invest an additional US$100 billion in Arizona, on top of US$65 billion previously announced, to increase the number of advanced wafer fabs there to six from three and build two advanced IC assembly plants and a research and development center.
At an investor conference in mid-July, TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) said the company would invest the additional US$100 billion in Arizona to build four more wafer fabs and expand IC packaging capacity.
Following the first approval in December 2020, TSMC received approval for another US$3.47 billion the same month, US$3.5 billion in March 2023, US$4.5 billion in September 2023, US$5.0 billion in June 2024, US$7.5 billion in September 2024, and US$20 billion in July, according to the MOEA.
The ministry said the approved investments were intended to increase TSMC’s capital investments in its Arizona subsidiary.
Given the pace of its applications, TSMC is expected to seek further government approval, the MOEA said.
In July, TSMC raised its 2026 capital expenditure forecast to between US$60 billion and US$64 billion, up from a range of US$52 billion to US$56 billion announced in mid-April.
The MOEA has said it is determined to maintain Taiwan’s lead in the global semiconductor industry through three priorities: ensuring that the largest manufacturing capacity remains in Taiwan, ensuring that the most advanced technologies remain in the country and maintaining the most complete semiconductor industry ecosystem in Taiwan.
Despite TSMC’s large-scale U.S. investments, the ministry said the company operates 19 advanced wafer fabs and IC assembly plants in Taiwan and is building 13 additional fabs and packaging facilities in Hsinchu, Taichung, Chiayi, Tainan and Kaohsiung.
Further investment is also planned as TSMC seeks to maintain its lead over global competitors in advanced process development, the ministry said.
TSMC’s 2-nanometer process, its most advanced technology currently in mass production, entered commercial production in the fourth quarter of last year.
Commercial production of its A14 process is scheduled to begin in 2028. Compared with 2nm technology, A14 is expected to deliver a 10-15 percent speed improvement at the same power consumption, or a 25-30 percent reduction in power consumption at the same speed.