Source: Worksinprogress
ASML's monopoly over extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography isn't accidental—it's the result of a deliberate technical bet combined with tight integration into the US-Taiwan semiconductor supply chain, which now makes the Dutch equipment maker a single point of failure for global advanced chip production. The company's dominance has transformed geopolitics into engineering dependencies: the US government effectively holds veto power over chip technology through ASML export controls, while TSMC's reliance on ASML machinery creates leverage that flows backward to policymakers. The global tech supply chain has reorganized around bottlenecks that serve state interests as much as commercial ones.