TAIPEI (TVBS News) — A ring toss booth in Chiayi City offers 100 TSMC shares worth NT$150,000 (around US$4,777) as a prize, sparking a frenzy at a local night market on Tuesday (Dec. 30).
The unusual prize from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC, 台積電) has attracted a large number of adult participants eager to test their luck. The high-stakes game reflects growing interest in TSMC and other technology stocks following a year of strong performance in this sector.
The booth operator revealed that the night market, which operates every Tuesday and Saturday, also offers other high-value prizes, including one "liang" — or 37.5 grams — of gold and overseas trips. That amount of gold is valued between NT$160,000 (around US$5,096) and NT$170,000 (around US$5,414), making the stakes exceptionally high for participants.
No one has yet claimed the TSMC stocks, but some participants have walked away with six to seven bottles of premium liquor, each worth tens of thousands of New Taiwan dollars, in a single night. Such high-value prizes have sustained excitement among night market visitors seeking fortune before the new year. The ring toss game, a traditional night market attraction, has drawn unusually large crowds due to the premium offerings.
Taiwan's stock market grew nearly 20% this year, reaching NT$99.96 trillion (approximately US$3.18 trillion) in market capitalization by Dec. 25, now ranking seventh globally. Analysts attribute the rise to surging demand for semiconductors and AI-related technology. On Wednesday (Dec. 31), the market closed at 22,963.6 points, up 256.47 points from Tuesday. ◼.
