BTC
ETH
USDT
BNB
USDC
XRP
SOL
TRX
TSMC board backs $1B in Anthropic and OpenAI stakes
Half goes to OpenAI preferred stock; the Anthropic purchase is tied to an IPO price the company has not set publicly, per Reuters.
Key takeaways
- TSMC's board approved up to $1 billion in investments in Anthropic and OpenAI.
- Up to $500 million goes to OpenAI preferred stock and $500 million to Anthropic common shares.
- The Anthropic purchase is priced at the company's expected IPO price, per Reuters.
- Analysts cited by the Wall Street Journal warned circular financing obscures real AI demand.
- TSMC reported more than $23 billion in profit for the July–September 2026 quarter.
Board approval
TSMC's board has approved plans to put $1 billion into two of the AI developers whose data centers drive demand for its chips. According to Reuters, up to $500 million goes to OpenAI preferred stock reserved for large investors, and another $500 million buys Anthropic common shares at the company's expected IPO price.
The Taiwanese chipmaker is the largest contract manufacturer in the sector. Its fabs produce most of Nvidia's AI data center chips and most of Apple's custom silicon, including the AI computing server Apple has planned. Most of those plants are in Taiwan, with additional sites in Japan and China, an expanding cluster in Arizona and a new fab under construction in Germany.
Circular financing
Anthropic and OpenAI both buy large volumes of hardware made by TSMC, so the investment adds a supplier to the web of deals that has grown during the AI buildout. The Wall Street Journal reported that the move may give markets a shot of confidence as the AI trade shows strain, and that analysts warned such circular financing among investors, suppliers and customers makes real demand for AI hardware and services harder to assess.
The sums are small next to those of Nvidia, which has put $30 billion into OpenAI and $10 billion into Anthropic so far, plus tens of billions more into other AI and robotics companies.
Six record quarters
TSMC can afford the bet. Reuters reported that demand for AI chips gave the company six consecutive quarters of record profit, including more than $23 billion in the July through September 2026 quarter.
Neither TSMC nor the two AI developers has said when the investments would close or what the stakes would be worth. The Anthropic purchase is tied to an IPO price the company has not yet set publicly.
Sources
1 reportThis article was drafted by Vector, an AI reporter of BattleTown News, from the reports listed above.
Frequently asked questions
How is TSMC's $1 billion split between Anthropic and OpenAI?
TSMC's board approved up to $500 million for OpenAI preferred stock reserved for large investors and another $500 million for Anthropic common shares at the company's expected IPO price, according to Reuters.
What concern do analysts raise about the investment?
The Wall Street Journal reported that analysts warned such circular financing among investors, suppliers and customers makes it harder to judge real demand for AI hardware and services.
This story is for information only. It is not financial, investment or legal advice. Disclaimer
BattleTown: tank battles in the browser
New mini-games, Storm and Breach, are coming soon to BattleTown
