Taiwan exports hit record $96.76 billion in October as AI demand lifts TSMC sales

Record exports for a 36th straight month

Taiwan's exports reached a record $96.76 billion in October 2026, the first time the monthly total has passed $90 billion. That figure was 58.9% higher than a year earlier and marks the thirty-sixth consecutive month of year-on-year growth, a run described as the longest on record. Imports came to $68.89 billion, and the resulting trade surplus of $27.88 billion also set a monthly record. For January to October, cumulative exports reached $758.29 billion, crossing the $700 billion mark early and setting a yearly record.

Exports96.76

Imports68.89

Trade surplus27.88

Exports

96.76 US$ billion

Imports

68.89 US$ billion

Trade surplus

27.88 US$ billion

Data from the article text

AI infrastructure demand behind the surge

Taiwan's Ministry of Finance credited the rise to strong global demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure and the expansion of the supply chains serving it. Communications and audiovisual products, together with electronic components, accounted for about 80% of total exports. Shipments grew notably to key markets including the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The ministry's explanation matches the picture in the chipmaker's own sales over the same period.

TSMC's October sales climb 59.7%

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world's largest chipmaker, reported October net revenue of NT$586.89 billion, equal to about $17.9 billion. That was 59.7% higher than in October 2025 and 14.7% above September. In euro terms the October figure comes to 15,980 million euros. Sales over the first ten months of 2026 totalled NT$4.48 trillion, up 43.3%. TSMC supplies Nvidia and Apple, and its growth had run at about 51% in the third quarter.

Taiwan exports, October58.9%

TSMC revenue, October59.7%

TSMC revenue, January-October43.3%

Taiwan exports, October

58.9 %

TSMC revenue, October

59.7 %

TSMC revenue, January-October

43.3 %

Data from the article text

Capacity plans and investor caution

TSMC plans to build and equip around 20 fabs in Taiwan and abroad, a far larger program than the 4 to 5 new plants it had been running in parallel. The company confirmed that its capital spending could reach a record $64 billion this year. It is weighing another plant in Texas and possible cooperation with Terafab, a chip-production venture associated with Elon Musk. TSMC's head, CC Wei, stresses caution in planning further growth. Investors still question how long the AI boom will last, pointing to high financing costs for data centres and the risk of tighter AI regulation in the United States.

What the figures cover

Both data sets cover October 2026 and were published on 9 and 10 November, so the cumulative totals run through the end of that month. The chip figures were announced by TSMC itself. The trade results and the chip results describe the same month and the same AI-driven demand. Taiwan's export total and TSMC's revenue growth are both running well above the rates seen in the first part of the year. The surplus and revenue numbers will be tested by the capacity and financing decisions the company has outlined.