TSMC’s U.S. factory expansion may add a new stronghold! Chairman Wei Zhejia confirmed at a press conference on the 15th that a team had been sent to Texas to evaluate the possibility of setting up a factory. US media pointed out that the Dallas area is a potential site, and six advanced wafer fabs may be built in the future. If each is estimated at US$20 billion (approximately NT$646 billion), the total investment scale will be US$120 billion (approximately NT$3.8 trillion). On the other hand, Minister of Economic Affairs Gong Mingxin also revealed that Taiwan plans to build an AI supply chain industrial park in Texas, and Taiwan's technology industry's deployment in the United States has attracted renewed attention.
The US "Phoenix Business Journal" reported on the 15th that Wei Zhejia said at the third quarter conference that TSMC is increasing capital expenditures to respond to customers' future growth needs, and confirmed that the company has sent a team to Texas to conduct relevant assessments. This is also a clear response from TSMC executives to the rumors of setting up a factory in Texas.
As for where the new factory might be located? The report cited previous news from Bloomberg that TSMC has considered building a new wafer fab park in the Dallas, Texas, area. It may plan six advanced wafer fabs, each costing about US$20 billion, and the total potential investment scale is as high as US$120 billion. However, the location of the factory, the number of factories and the amount of investment have not yet been officially confirmed by TSMC.
At the same time, the Taiwan government is also actively promoting the layout of industrial clusters in Texas. Bloomberg published an exclusive interview with Minister of Economic Affairs Gong Mingxin on the 16th, pointing out that Taiwan plans to set up multiple industrial parks in the United States, with Texas selected as the first stop. It is estimated that each park will invest US$2 billion to US$4 billion (approximately NT$64.6 billion to NT$129.2 billion), mainly to assist semiconductor and AI supply chain companies to develop in the United States.
Bloomberg also quoted people familiar with the matter as saying that Taiwan has acquired a piece of land in Texas for a planned industrial park. The Ministry of Economic Affairs stated on the 16th that relevant details will be explained to the public at the appropriate time. The park will adopt an "industry-funded, government-assisted" model and will be promoted in cooperation with the Taiwan Electrical and Electronics Industry Association.
It is worth noting that economic and trade cooperation between Taiwan and Dallas has already begun. The Foreign Trade Association will establish a local Taiwan Trade Center in 2023, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs will further establish the "Dallas Taiwan Trade and Investment Center" in August 2025 to assist Taiwanese businessmen in investing in the United States, providing legal and tax consultation and industrial matchmaking. In September this year, Taiwan also chose Dallas to hold the Taiwan Image Exhibition in the United States, attracting 155 Taiwanese companies to participate in the exhibition, showing that Taiwan continues to deepen industrial exchanges with Texas.
In addition, Wei Zhejia also confirmed that TSMC is discussing with customers the Terafab project promoted by Musk's companies, but emphasized that if it participates in related wafer fab business, TSMC must be responsible for management.
With strong demand for AI chips, TSMC expects capital expenditures from 2026 to 2028 to be significantly higher than in the past three years. From rumors about the location in Dallas to the Taiwanese government’s promotion of the Texas Industrial Park, Texas is becoming an important focus of Taiwan’s semiconductor and AI supply chain’s deployment in the United States, and the actual location selection has attracted much attention.
