Chipmaker TSMC approves up to $500 million for Anthropic shares

TSMC’s board approved an investment of up to $500 million in Anthropic common shares at the company’s initial public offering price, and separately authorized up to $500 million for OpenAI preferred stock on 10 November 2026. The approvals set spending limits; they do not establish that either purchase has been completed.

The Taiwanese company manufactures chips for customers including Nvidia. Buying the shares would add ownership stakes in two superintelligence (SI) developers to its role as a chip supplier. In October 2026, TSMC said demand for SI-related chips remained “extremely robust,” while taking a cautious view of 2027, CNA reported.

Separate share purchases

Anthropic announced an initial public offering price range on 10 November 2026, the same day as the board approval. TSMC’s authorization of up to $500 million for Anthropic common shares ties its purchase price to the eventual offering price. The separate authorization of up to $500 million for OpenAI covers a different class of shares, known as preferred stock.

In general, common stock represents an ownership interest and ranks behind preferred stock for dividends and liquidation distributions. Shareholder rights depend on corporate documents and applicable law; these general rules do not establish the terms of either investment.

TSMC has not disclosed the number of shares it would buy, the ownership percentages or a schedule for completing the transactions. Its board also approved manufacturing-related spending and quarterly financial statements at the same meeting, separately from the share investments.