Taiwan emerges as the stronger AI trade bet over South Korea

South Korea and Taiwan spent this year at the center of the global AI trade. As equity investors head into the final weeks of a pivotal year, Taiwan is emerging as the stronger bet of the two, according to Bloomberg. The numbers behind the AI export boom In the first half of 2026, South Korea exported $496.3 billion in goods. Taiwan shipped $416.6 billion. Both topped Japan’s $384.4 billion, marking the first time either economy has outsold Japan on total exports. Integrated circuits made up approximately 30% of total exports for both South Korea and Taiwan. AI chips and related equipment now account for about 80% of Taiwan’s exports and over 40% of South Korea’s. That share has more than doubled from two years earlier. In August 2025, Taiwan posted monthly exports of $58.49 billion, a one-time lead over South Korea. Taiwan’s economy had a breakout year Taiwan’s real GDP grew 8.63% in 2025. Per-capita GDP rose to approximately $39,477, putting Taiwan ahead of South Korea for the first time in 22 years. South Korea’s semiconductor exports to Taiwan tripled from 2022 levels to $36.769 billion in 2025. That made Taiwan the No. 2 destination for South Korean chip shipments, with a 19.9...