TSMC weighs advanced memory chip production as Nvidia seeks 3D DRAM

· Tech · Taiwan

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is considering expanding into advanced memory chip manufacturing, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter, a move that would give the world's largest chipmaker an even bigger share of the AI hardware supply chain. Separately, Nvidia has reportedly asked TSMC to produce "3D DRAM" to address memory shortages, a request TSMC denied it was exploring. The world's memory market is dominated by Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Micron Technology. TSMC has so far focused on logic chips, with memory handled by partners. An entry into advanced memory would put the foundry in more direct competition with those incumbents while capturing more of the value of AI systems, which pair processors with large amounts of high-bandwidth memory.

Why it matters：Memory is the tightening bottleneck in AI hardware, and a foundry giant moving into it could reshape how the supply chain divides labor between logic and memory.

Key points

  • The report cites two people with direct knowledge of TSMC's deliberations
  • Nvidia reportedly sought 3D DRAM production to ease memory shortages
  • Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron currently dominate the memory market

Sources (original reporting)

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