Taipei: The average pay to employees by ASE Technology Holding Co. hit the highest among the companies listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange's (TWSE) main board in 2025, while contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) ranked seventh.
According to Focus Taiwan, data compiled by the TWSE showed ASE Technology, the world's largest IC packaging and testing services provider, paid its employees an average of NT$6.28 million (US$119,746) in 2025, marking a 40 percent increase from the previous year. TSMC, known as the world's largest contract chipmaker and the most profitable company in Taiwan, offered an average pay of NT$4.09 million to its employees in 2025, which was a 22.9 percent rise from a year earlier.
The TWSE clarified that the pay disclosed by the listed companies included salaries, insurance payments, pensions, and other welfare benefits but excluded compensation to board members. High-speed IC designer Asmedia Technology Inc. secured the second position by paying its employees an average of NT$5.66 million. It was followed by printed circuit board maker Global Brands Manufacture Ltd. at NT$4.87 million, smartphone IC designer MediaTek Inc. at NT$4.60 million, and communication network IC designer Realtek Semiconductor Corp. at NT$4.51 million.
Completing the top 10 TWSE-listed companies in average pay to employees were Lien Hwa Industrial Holdings Corp. (NT$4.30 million), TSMC, cooling solution provider Asia Vital Components Co. (NT$3.91 million), Caliway Biopharmaceuticals Co. (NT$3.82 million), and wireless IC designer Airoha Technology Corp. (NT$3.71 million). The TWSE noted that the local semiconductor industry paid more on average than other industries in 2025, thanks to strong global demand for AI.
In 2025, the 988 listed companies on the main board paid their employees an average of NT$1.69 million, up 6.3 percent from the previous year. Regarding the average wage, these companies paid NT$1.46 million on average in 2025, a 6.6 percent increase from a year earlier, TWSE reported.
Excluding board members, the listed companies had a combined workforce of 1.27 million in 2025, a 2.1 percent increase from the previous year. Certain old economy industries, such as food, tourism, building materials, shipping, and retail, saw their workforces grow by 3.3 percent. The exchange highlighted that the local capital market was buoyed by the tech industry, and tech benefits subsequently boosted consumption, aiding the service sector.
In the over-the-counter market, baseboard management controller designer Aspeed Technology Inc. provided its employees with the highest average pay of NT$5.93 million. It was followed by property developer Feei Cherng Develop Technology Co. (NT$4.63 million), online game developer International Games System Co. (NT$4.35 million), property development Allmind Holdings Corp. (NT$3.49 million), and imaging sensing solution supplier PixArt Imaging Inc. (NT$3.45 million).