Apple and TSMC Reportedly Set to Take Stake in Intel!

Intel in Talks with Apple and TSMC as Strategic Investors to Accelerate Transformation

September 26 — According to The Wall Street Journal, semiconductor giant Intel is actively seeking external investments and strategic partnerships to accelerate its ongoing transformation.

Insiders revealed that Intel has already engaged with tech heavyweight Apple and is also in discussions with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the world’s leading foundry, to explore potential investments and manufacturing collaborations.

Once the undisputed leader of the global chip industry—famously credited with putting the “silicon” in Silicon Valley—Intel has found itself trailing rivals like Nvidia and AMD amid the surging wave of artificial intelligence (AI). To reverse its fortunes, CEO Pat Gelsinger has been pursuing new alliances as part of a bold restructuring plan to revitalize the company.

Over the past few years, Intel has invested tens of billions of dollars in building its foundry business. However, the division has struggled to compete with TSMC’s dominance and has yet to secure major external customers. Reports earlier this year from The Information indicated that Intel and TSMC had already floated the idea of a joint venture, with TSMC potentially holding a 20% stake in the new entity.

Intel’s push for outside capital has begun to bear fruit. Just last month, the Trump administration announced an $8.9 billion investment in exchange for a 9.9% stake in Intel. SoftBank followed with a $2 billion commitment, while Nvidia pledged $5 billion and expanded its collaboration with Intel on server and PC processors.

Although Apple, TSMC, and Intel declined to comment on the latest round of discussions, the market reaction was immediate. Following reports of potential partnerships with Apple and TSMC, Intel’s stock surged 8.87% on September 26, closing at $33.99 per share, with after-hours trading pushing it further up to $34.45. That represents a near 70% jump from the $20.47 entry price set during the Trump administration’s investment.