TSMC Tops Patent Rankings in Taiwan for Sixth Year Running
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, once again dominated Taiwan’s intellectual property charts in Q1 2025, filing 305 invention patents—a milestone that cements its strategic and technological lead as it prepares to enter the 2-nanometer (nm) manufacturing era.
According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), this is the sixth consecutive year that TSMC has topped the list for invention patent applications in Taiwan, underscoring the company’s intense focus on R&D and innovation amidst intensifying global competition, especially from Samsung and Intel.
Why This Matters: More Than Just Numbers
Patent filings are a vital indicator of a company’s technological advancement and future competitiveness. TSMC’s 305 filings are not just statistics—they reflect aggressive investment in emerging technologies such as advanced node development (2nm), chiplet integration, AI computing, and photonics.
As the industry inches closer to physical limits of transistor miniaturization, every new patent marks progress in overcoming thermal management, energy efficiency, and material science challenges. With 2nm chips expected to enter mass production in H2 2025, these patents are directly tied to TSMC’s ability to retain high-end clients like Apple, AMD, and NVIDIA.
Taiwan’s Domestic Tech Leaders Keep Pace
Following TSMC, Nanya Technology Corp.—a major DRAM memory supplier—ranked second with 127 invention patents, a sign of its diversification efforts in low-power DRAM and AI memory technologies.
Delta Electronics Inc., known for power solutions, set a company record with 82 patents, possibly tied to innovations in EV charging infrastructure and renewable energy management systems.
Other notable names include:
- Innolux Corp. (80 patents): Display tech innovator shifting toward mini-LED and AMOLED.
- AUO Corp. (76 patents): Also pivoting from traditional panels to smart mobility and AI displays.
- Realtek Semiconductor (72), Hon Hai (Foxconn) (69), MediaTek (59), Inventec (54), and Acer (47) round out the top 10.
Foreign Heavyweights Dominate with New Records
Among foreign applicants, Applied Materials from the U.S. retained its top position for the third straight year, filing 263 invention patents. The company supplies critical equipment for lithography, etching, and deposition processes—integral for enabling next-gen chip fabrication.
Trailing Applied Materials are:
- Tokyo Electron (Japan) – 236 patents
- Coupang (South Korea) – 221 patents
- Samsung Electronics (South Korea) – 198 patents
- Nitto Denko (Japan) – 154 patents
- Kioxia (Japan) – 153 patents
- Qualcomm (U.S.) – 144 patents
- Fujifilm (Japan) – 91 patents
- Lam Research (U.S.) – 89 patents
- Panasonic IP Management (Japan) – 72 patents
Several firms, including Kioxia, Lam Research, and Panasonic, recorded their highest-ever quarterly filings, signaling an intensified push for IP security in key emerging sectors like AI memory, photolithography, and battery tech.
Patent Landscape: Taiwan as a Global Innovation Hub
In Q1 2025, Taiwan received a total of 17,063 patent applications, a 1% increase YoY, including:
- 12,202 invention patents
- 3,232 utility model patents
- 1,629 design patents
Foreign applicants represented 53% of the total, highlighting Taiwan’s continued global relevance as a high-tech innovation nucleus and preferred IP jurisdiction, especially for semiconductor and electronics companies.
Expert Insight: IP as a Competitive Moat
TSMC’s continued IP dominance isn’t just about protection—it’s about building a moat against global tech hegemony. The U.S.-China tech rivalry, export controls, and the need for chip sovereignty in regions like Europe make Taiwan’s IP and talent ecosystem more strategic than ever.
By aggressively patenting its innovations, TSMC ensures it can defend itself from legal challenges, negotiate licensing with leverage, and maintain leadership in lucrative markets like AI, automotive, and mobile processors.
✅ FAQs
Why are invention patents more important than utility or design patents?
Invention patents cover new technologies with industrial applicability, providing stronger protection and greater commercial value.
What does TSMC’s lead mean for Taiwan’s economy?
It boosts Taiwan’s global tech leadership, attracts investment, and ensures job creation in high-skill sectors.
Are patent filings connected to real-world product launches?
Yes. Many of TSMC’s patents directly support its 2nm and advanced chip roadmap, which will power next-gen devices globally.
Why do foreign firms file patents in Taiwan?
Taiwan is a tech manufacturing hub. Filing locally protects IP where supply chains and production activities occur.
What industries are seeing the most innovation in Taiwan?
Semiconductors, AI hardware, smart energy, photonics, and consumer electronics are the fastest-evolving sectors.
