Taiwan

Economy & industry overview

Taiwan is a high-income, export-oriented economy and a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing, with the technology sector—particularly integrated circuits, electronics, and ICT products—forming the backbone of its industrial base. The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) alone represents the majority of the exchange's market capitalisation and is among the world's ten largest public companies by value. Taiwan's total trade reached US$869.4 billion in 2024, with semiconductors, flat panel displays, and petrochemicals among its top exports to partners including the United States, China/Hong Kong, and ASEAN nations. The economy recorded real GDP growth of approximately 5.3% in 2024 and an estimated 8.68% in 2025, driven strongly by AI-related demand for advanced chips and high-performance computing infrastructure. Financial services, petrochemicals, precision machinery, and biotechnology round out Taiwan's diversified industrial profile.

Key sectors

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Macro

GDP nominal, USD	$884.39B
GDP growth real, annual	8.7%
Inflation annual	1.7%
Population people	23.2M
GDP per capita USD	$42,103
Market cap total listed, USD	$2.90T
Market cap / GDP	328.0%
Unemployment	3.4%
Listed companies	1,018
Exchange	Taiwan Stock Exchange Corporation (TWSE)

Data year: 2025. Sources: IMF World Economic Outlook (April 2026), Taiwan Government Portal (taiwan.gov.tw), Taiwan Stock Exchange Corporation Fact Book 2025 (twse.com.tw), Wikipedia – Economy of Taiwan, Worldometers – Taiwan GDP, CEIC Data – Taiwan GDP, FocusEconomics – Taiwan, Statista – Taiwan Inflation and Unemployment, Trading Economics – Taiwan, Hudson Institute – Taiwan Stock Exchange Analysis (June 2026), Grokipedia – Largest Companies in Taiwan.

Local exchange & access

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

Local broker access

Foreign investors may access TWSE-listed securities through local licensed brokers (e.g., Fubon Securities, Cathay Securities, KGI Securities) or international brokers offering Taiwanese market access. Direct market participation by foreign institutional investors requires registration with the Taiwan Stock Exchange. US investors often gain exposure via ADRs (TSMC trades as TSM on NYSE) or Taiwan-focused ETFs such as EWT. The over-the-counter Taipei Exchange (TPEx) lists additional smaller-cap and emerging companies. Settlement follows a T+2 cycle; all trading is denominated in New Taiwan Dollars.

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 investing NTD 6 million (approx. USD 190,000–200,000) in a Taiwanese enterprise or qualifying financial instrument may be eligible to apply for investor residency. The Employment Gold Card targets high-skilled professionals in technology, finance, culture, and other designated fields, and is issued for 1–3 years with renewal options. Permanent residency requires five consecutive years of legal residence and meeting income or asset thresholds. Taiwan does not grant citizenship solely on the basis of investment.