Archive · 19 Aug 2026
AI-Driven Giants Are Distorting Taiwan’s Stock Index Reality
Taiwan has a stock index containing more than 1,000 companies.
However, a few very large technology companies now have much more influence than the others.
TSMC makes AI processors for Nvidia.
Its value doubled to $2 trillion in one year.
TSMC makes up more than 40% of the TAIEX index.
A regulator removed a rule that limited how much index-tracking funds could invest in one company.
This allowed funds to hold more TSMC shares.
As a result, the index can move more like a small group of AI-related companies than like all the companies it contains.
TSMC’s market capitalization doubled to $2 trillion over the past year.
TSMC now accounts for more than 40% of the Taiwan Stock Exchange’s TAIEX index.
Taiwan’s markets regulator removed a 20-year-old rule limiting ETFs to 30% in one stock.
The TAIEX includes just over 1,000 stocks but behaves like an index dominated by about six firms.
MediaTek and Foxconn are also linked to the AI boom, making their movements partly correlated with TSMC’s.
- Who
- TSMC, Nvidia, MediaTek, Foxconn, ETF investors, and companies included in the TAIEX.
- What
- The TAIEX is becoming heavily influenced by a small group of large AI-related technology companies.
- When
- Over the past year; the ETF investment rule was removed last year, according to the article.
- Where
- Taiwan’s stock market, including the Taiwan Stock Exchange.
- Why
- TSMC’s rapid market-value growth and the removal of a 30% ETF concentration limit increased the influence of major technology companies.
- TSMC market capitalization
- $2 trillion after doubling over the past year
- TSMC’s TAIEX weighting
- More than 40% of the index
- TAIEX constituents
- Just over 1,000 stocks
- Former ETF limit
- Index-tracking ETFs could hold no more than 30% of assets in one stock
- Rule history
- The limit had been in place for 20 years
- Other AI-linked companies
- MediaTek and Foxconn are also described as benefiting from the AI boom