Most tech investors likely know that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM), also known as TSMC, is the world's first, largest, and most advanced contract chipmaker. They also probably know that it manufactures chips for top fabless chipmakers like Advanced Micro Devices, Qualcomm, and Apple, which makes it a linchpin of the semiconductor industry.

Those strengths have enabled TSMC to generate big gains for patient investors. Over the past 10 years, TSMC's stock has rallied more than 350% as the Nasdaq Composite advanced 250%. Despite that decade of consistently strong growth, TSMC is still a solid long-term play on the semiconductor sector.

That's a lot to know about this semiconductor giant. But here are three lesser-known facts about this chipmaker that many investors may have overlooked. Knowing these could make you smarter than the average buyer.

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Source Fool.com