Taiwan

Economy & industry overview

Taiwan is a high-income export-oriented economy in East Asia, classified by the IMF among advanced economies. It is the world's dominant producer of advanced semiconductors and integrated circuits, home to globally critical companies such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. The economy grew by approximately 4.6 percent in real terms in 2024, driven by strong demand for AI-related chips, high-performance computing hardware, and electronics exports. Key industries include semiconductors, electronics manufacturing, information and communications technology, petrochemicals, machinery, and financial services. Taiwan's stock market ranks among the largest in Asia and globally by total market capitalization.

Key sectors

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Macro

GDP nominal, USD	$801.50B
GDP growth real, annual	4.6%
Inflation annual	2.2%
Population people	23.4M
GDP per capita USD	$34,252
Market cap total listed, USD	$3.02T
Market cap / GDP	376.9%
Unemployment	3.4%
Listed companies	1,045
Exchange	Taiwan Stock Exchange Corporation (TWSE)

Primary data year: 2024. Sources: IMF World Economic Outlook (April 2026), Taiwan Stock Exchange Corporation (TWSE) Fact Book 2025, Taiwan Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS), Baker McKenzie Cross-Border Listings Guide (February 2026), Taipei Times, BTI Project Taiwan Country Report 2026, US State Department 2025 Investment Climate Statements: Taiwan, Wikipedia Economy of Taiwan, FocusEconomics Taiwan, Worldometers Taiwan GDP, MSCI Index Factsheets. Individual figures may cover different reference periods — for example a fiscal year, or an estimate for the current year — and the overview above states these where known.

Local exchange & access

Exchange	Taiwan Stock Exchange Corporation
Code	TWSE
Website	www.twse.com.tw
Currency	TWD

Local broker access

Foreign investors can access Taiwan-listed equities through international brokers that provide market access to the TWSE, including Interactive Brokers and other global platforms with Asia-Pacific coverage. Direct retail investment by foreign individuals on the TWSE requires registration with the Taiwan Depository and Clearing Corporation and obtaining a securities investment account, which most international retail investors access indirectly via US-listed ETFs such as EWT or FLTW. US-listed ADRs for major companies such as TSMC (TSM) and ASE Technology (ASX) also provide direct single-stock exposure. Taiwan imposes a securities transaction tax of 0.3 percent on stock sales and no capital gains tax on listed securities for most investors.

Global brokers with foreign-market access

• Interactive Brokers — Direct access to 90+ markets worldwide, including many emerging exchanges.
• Saxo Bank — Multi-market access across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
• Charles Schwab (Global) — Foreign ordinary shares on select markets; US-listed ADRs and ETFs.
• Fidelity International Trading — International stock trading on a number of developed and emerging markets.

Listed for convenience only. Not a recommendation. Available markets, fees and onboarding rules differ by broker and by your country of residence.

Relocation & residency

Foreign-investor access

Foreign nationals can reside in Taiwan on various visa categories including the Employment Gold Card, investor visas, and dependent visas. Taiwan offers a relatively low cost of living by developed-economy standards, a high-quality public healthcare system under National Health Insurance, and a well-developed urban infrastructure. Mandarin Chinese is the official language, though English proficiency is widespread in business and academic settings. Air quality and geopolitical considerations related to cross-strait relations with the People's Republic of China are practical factors that relocating individuals typically assess.