Think about that. ASML doesn’t make the chips. But the world’s most powerful companies, Apple, Amazon, and OpenAI, can’t exist without them. Even governments are scared. Because whoever controls ASML… controls the global AI race.

Netherlands is the reason we are able to use AI. Not the U.S., Not China. Not even Nvidia. One Dutch company controls the machines that create every AI chip on Earth. Here's how this one company created a monopoly no one can break:

It all starts with a machine. Not just any machine, the most complex device humans have ever built. It costs over $200 million, weighs 180 tons, and requires 3 Boeing 747s to transport. This one machine made the ASML indispensable.

To understand ASML’s dominance, you first need to understand how chips are made. AI chips like Nvidia’s are built on silicon wafers. But printing billions of transistors on a tiny chip requires extreme precision. Precision that only one company on Earth can provide.

That precision comes from a process called EUV Lithography, Extreme Ultraviolet. It’s insanely difficult. It uses light so precise, it can etch patterns smaller than a virus. Building these machines? It’s like building a rocket… every few months.

ASML is the only company in the world that makes EUV lithography machines. Their machines cost $150 million each. There are no alternatives. No backups. No plan B. Even Nvidia, Intel, and TSMC rely entirely on ASML to make their most advanced chips.

The U.S. and China know this. In fact, in 2019, the U.S. pressured the Dutch government to ban ASML from selling EUV machines to China. China tried to develop their own version. Years later? Still nowhere close.

Why is it so hard to copy? Because ASML’s machines are made with over 100,000 components from 5,000+ suppliers. The mirror inside it is so flat that if it were the size of the U.S., the tallest bump would be 1mm. This is tech that borders on science fiction.

So, how did a Dutch company come to hold this much power? It started in 1984 as a small spin-off from Philips. Almost went bankrupt. Ignored by media. Doubted by industry. But they focused relentlessly on one thing: future-proofing the chip industry.

ASML made a long bet no one else dared to make. They knew chips would get smaller, faster, and more complex. And they knew no one was ready. So they built what no one else could. Now, the world comes to them with open wallets.

Today, ASML is worth $400 billion. They sell only ~50 EUV machines per year. They don't run ads. They don’t play hype games. And still, they’re the single most important company behind AI as we know it.

While the world argues about AGI, OpenAI vs. Google, and GPUs... One Dutch company controls the bottleneck of the future. The lesson? You don’t need to be loud to be powerful. You need to be indispensable.

ASML grew without marketing But you can't because you are not ASML And most of us don't have what ASML has. So you need to create your distribution by yourself. And personal brand is the best way to market yourself & your business. In today’s world, being quiet doesn’t work unless you’re ASML.

If you're a founder or VC with a tremendous offline reputation… But an underdog in the online space, Then you're in the right place. We help founders and VCs build an unforgettable personal brand on X. If you want similar results, then book a quick call with us

I hope you've found this thread helpful. Follow me @theprasad_ for more. Like/Repost the quote below if you can:

Capitalize on the rapid expansion of AI technologies by investing in companies building and implementing AI solutions.

Then how come the Chinese are also doing well on AI???