TSMC approves US$44.96 billion budget amid AI boom

Taipei, Feb. 10 (CNA) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co's (TSMC) board of directors on Tuesday approved a US$44.96 billion capital budget to bolster advanced and specialty technology capacity, upgrade advanced packaging, and fund fab construction.

The funding targets the installation and upgrade of advanced, mature and specialty technology capacity as well as advanced packaging, while also supporting the construction of new fabrication plants and the installation of essential facility systems.

The company said in a statement that the appropriation ensures it can fulfill its long-term technology roadmap and meet rising global demand, following the company's first-ever board meeting in Kumamoto, Japan.

In a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi last week, TSMC CEO C.C. Wei (魏哲家) said the company plans to upgrade its second facility in Kumamoto to produce 3-nanometer chips to meet surging global demand for AI applications

The board also approved the distribution of employee business performance bonuses and profit-sharing totaling approximately NT$206.15 billion (US$6.54 billion) for 2025.

This figure represents a 46.62 percent increase compared to the NT$140.5 billion approved for 2024, setting a record high for the second consecutive year, as the company capitalizes on the global AI boom, according to the statement.

Of that total, a business performance bonus of NT$103.07 billion was distributed following each quarter of 2025, and profit sharing of NT$103.07 billion will be distributed in July 2026, the company said.

With an estimated headcount of 78,000 employees in Taiwan as of late 2025, the average payout per person is expected to exceed NT$2.64 million, compared to NT$2 million recorded in 2024, reflecting the company's heightened profitability.

The board also approved its 2025 business report and financial statements, which showed consolidation revenue for the year totaled NT$3.81 trillion, with net income reaching NT$1.72 trillion and diluted earnings per share of NT$66.25.

In terms of shareholder returns, the board approved a cash dividend of NT$6.0 per share for the fourth quarter of 2025. The ex-dividend date is scheduled for June 11 with the payment slated for July 9.

(By Chang Chien-chung and Shih Hsiu-chuan)

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