Chip Manufacturing

TSMC Reportedly Weighs Texas for Second U.S. Chipmaking Hub

TSMC is reportedly evaluating Texas as the site of a second U.S. chipmaking hub, according to Taiwan News. The foundry's Phoenix Fab 21 entered high-volume N4 production in late 2024.

By
Rebecca Stone
Filed
Channel
Chip Manufacturing
Read
2 min read

TSMC is reportedly evaluating Texas as the site for a second U.S. chipmaking complex, according to a Taiwan News report, though the foundry has not publicly confirmed an investment figure, target process node, or capacity for any expansion beyond Arizona.

The Taiwan News report identifies Texas as a candidate for what would be TSMC's second U.S. chipmaking hub. TSMC has not announced any new U.S. site selection. The company typically declines to comment on prospective fab locations until a board decision and formal announcement are complete.

What does the U.S. program currently look like?

TSMC's U.S. footprint is anchored by Fab 21 in Phoenix, Arizona. The first Phoenix module entered high-volume manufacturing on the company's N4 process in late 2024, roughly four years after construction began in 2020. Multiple additional modules are publicly committed, with production planned to extend to more advanced nodes by 2028. The Arizona program is partially underwritten by CHIPS Act incentives that cover a slice of the total capital outlay.

Why would Texas make sense as a second site?

Texas already hosts Samsung's Austin foundry and a broader semiconductor ecosystem that includes Dallas-area Texas Instruments operations. The state has publicly courted semiconductor projects with large industrial-site packages, and its central geography trims logistics friction for U.S. customers shipping chips to both coasts. Power and water availability in semiconductor-grade quantities typically drive U.S. greenfield siting decisions.

Which customers would a Texas hub serve?

If confirmed, a Texas fab cluster would primarily supply U.S. fabless customers including Apple, AMD, Qualcomm, and NVIDIA. All four continue to take the bulk of their leading-edge wafers from TSMC's Taiwan fabs. U.S.-based capacity remains a small share of TSMC's global output, and even the completed Arizona program will represent a fraction of worldwide wafer starts.

How does this reshape the competitive picture?

A confirmed Texas build would widen the geographic lead separating TSMC from U.S. competitors Intel Foundry and Samsung Foundry, both already running domestic fabs. It would also deepen TSMC's diversification away from Taiwan, a priority for customers and U.S. policymakers who treat geographic redundancy as a supply-chain hedge.

What remains unknown?

The Taiwan News report does not name a Texas city or county, a committed investment figure, targeted process nodes, wafer-per-month capacity, or a construction and production timeline. Until TSMC publicly confirms a Texas footprint, the project remains a reported possibility rather than a committed facility.

If the company proceeds, the move would mark a further escalation of TSMC's U.S. diversification beyond Arizona, underwritten by ongoing CHIPS Act incentives and customer pressure for domestic capacity outside Taiwan.

Source: Google News: TSMC

Share this article:

More from Rebecca Stone

Rebecca Stone

Show full bio

Correspondent covering media and advertising at Chip Dispatch.

244 articles

Related articles

« Previous articleNext article »