ASML’s grip on EUV chip-making technology is fuelling the global AI boom - and soaring profits for the firm.

TechCentral

ASML dominates the semiconductor lithography market with a monopoly on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology, which is essential for manufacturing advanced AI chips. The Dutch company's stock has doubled since April 2025, driven by surging demand from major chipmakers like TSMC, Samsung, and Intel who are ramping up capital spending by 25-45% in 2026. ASML controls 90% of the lithography systems market and is Europe's most valuable listed company with a market cap exceeding $500 billion. Its EUV machines use lasers to vaporize tin 50,000 times per second, creating light beams just 13.5nm thick to print minuscule circuitry. Industry experts believe ASML's dominance will continue for years as the entire chip supply chain has invested hundreds of billions betting on its technology.

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