Is Nvidia Replacing Apple as TSMC’s Most Important Customer?

For years, Apple has been the undisputed king of TSMC’s production lines. But a new report from Culpium suggests that the crown is slipping as Nvidia’s massive demand for AI chips takes center stage.

Apple helped turn TSMC into the world’s most important chipmaker by being its biggest and most reliable customer. In exchange, Apple always got the best prices and first dibs on the newest technology. That dynamic is now changing.

According to the report, Nvidia likely overtook Apple as TSMC’s largest customer during at least part of 2025. This shift is driven by the global explosion in AI, which requires the high-end chips Nvidia designs and TSMC builds.

TSMC CEO C.C. Wei reportedly visited Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino last August to deliver some tough news. He informed Apple executives that they would face their largest price hike in years. Perhaps more importantly, he noted that Apple would no longer have guaranteed, exclusive access to production capacity across TSMC’s global factories.

The news comes as TSMC reported massive financial results. The company’s revenue climbed 36% in 2025 to reach $122 billion. To keep up with the demand from both Nvidia and Apple, TSMC plans to spend up to $56 billion this year alone to build more capacity.

“Our conviction in the multiyear AI megatrend remains strong,” said C.C. Wei during an analyst call. He added that the company is “preparing to increase our capacity and stepping up our capex investment to support our customers’ future growth.”

While Apple is still a massive priority for TSMC, they are no longer the only “VIP” in the room. This shift could mean that future iPhones and Macs face higher production costs or tighter supply as Apple competes with the AI industry for factory space.