Taiwan’s AI Export Surge: Record $87B in September, a 60.9% Increase
Taiwan continues to ride the wave of an extraordinary technology-driven economic surge. The island’s exports reached a record high of US$87.22 billion in September 2026. This represents a staggering 60.9% increase year-over-year, as reported by the country’s Ministry of Finance. This milestone extends Taiwan’s uninterrupted monthly export growth streak to 35 consecutive months.
The primary driver of this growth is the unquenchable global thirst for AI servers, advanced semiconductors, graphics processors, and high-performance computing hardware. Industry giants TSMC and MediaTek are at the heart of this boom, supplying chips to leading AI companies worldwide.
The Asian Development Bank recently revised its GDP growth projection for Taiwan in 2026 upwards to 11%. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s economy expanded by a remarkable 14% in the first half of 2026 alone. During the same period, tech exports rose 65% in dollar value.
The manufacturing sector also experienced rapid growth, expanding at its fastest pace in over five years in September. This is according to the purchasing managers’ index, indicating robust industrial momentum. Taiwan’s government is further bolstering its position, committing 300 billion New Taiwan dollars (~$9.51 billion) through 2033 to support domestic chip research, development, and talent cultivation. TSMC recently broke ground on a new Baipu Industrial Park in Kaohsiung, adding to its ever-expanding manufacturing footprint.
Source: Taipei Times — Exports Hit Record Amid AI Demand