Feature · 10 November 2026
Inside Taiwan's bourse: foreign owners, chip weight and a listing queue
Foreign investors, technology companies and a pipeline of new listings make up the market behind Taiwan's shifting place in the world rankings.
Taiwan's stock market has spent 2026 moving up and down the world league table. At the end of 2025, the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) said, Taiwan ranked 7th globally by market capitalization, with the total value of listed companies surpassing NT$94 trillion. By September 23, the data platform MarketCapWatch put it fourth, with a main-board market capitalization of about US$5.3 trillion, ahead of India at US$4.94 trillion. Then, as of Saturday morning, November 7, it was seventh again, at US$4.36 trillion, just short of Canada's US$4.38 trillion. 421
Behind the ranking sits a shareholder base with a large foreign component. In its review of 2025, the TWSE said foreign investors held 47.4% of market capitalization and accounted for 35.3% of total trading value. By the end of April 2026, the exchange said, foreign investors represented 49.4% of total market capitalization and about 35.5% of average daily trading value. The exchange describes Taiwan as "a large, institutionally relevant market with deep international participation." 43
The other defining feature is how much of the market is technology. The TWSE said approximately 81.44% of its market capitalization was concentrated in technology-related sectors as of the end of April 2026. The best-known name is TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, which MarketCapWatch ranked seventh among the world's largest listed companies, with a market capitalization of US$1.79 trillion for its American depository receipts. 31
New companies keep joining that base. IPO applications reached 45 in 2025, the highest since 2008, the TWSE said, including 15 Taiwan Innovation Board applications. New listings reached 34. Total fundraising reached approximately US$27 billion, nearly double the previous year, according to the exchange's June release. 43
The newest arrivals span technology and healthcare. The TWSE named AI and semiconductor supply-chain companies Hon Precision and V5 Technologies among recent listings, alongside HCmed Innovations and Heron Neutron Medical in healthcare and life sciences. "TWSE is more than an exchange; it's a glimpse into the future powered by AI," said Sherman Lin, its chairman and chief executive. Shinhsiung Natural Gas marked its listing on October 16, 2026, and TAHO Pharmaceuticals on October 20, 2026, according to The Taiwan Monthly, the exchange's publication. 36
More are in the queue. The TWSE said in June that nearly 40 companies will apply for listing in 2026, with more than 15 of them from the AI supply chain. The exchange's listing announcements will show how many of those applications reach the board. 3
Sources: 1. Taiwan stock market falls to global No. 7 in market cap after massive sell-off - Focus Taiwan · 2. As Taiex hits new high, Taiwan stock market ranks global No. 4 in market cap - Focus Taiwan · 3. Taiwan Market Cap Reaches New High as TWSE Showcases AI Strengths at COMPUTEX · 4. 2025 Thrived Amid Challenges, 2026 Poised for Greater Heights - TWSE｜Market Insights · 6. The Taiwan Monthly
