Chinese chipmaker CXMT allegedly used a written roadmap to steal Samsung DRAM tech — South Korean court says 'Project Hefei' lifted 620-step recipe to build 10% global market share
CXMT's alleged industrial espionage from Samsung had an actual roadmap — South Korean court says Project Hefei was responsible for CXMT's current position as major DRAM maker
Chinese chipmaker CXMT allegedly used a written roadmap to steal Samsung's DRAM technology, according to South Korean court documents. The Project Hefei roadmap, allegedly spearheaded by CXMT's head of development formerly from Samsung, outlined steps for acquiring technology, poaching key engineers, and production. By August 2016, CXMT attempted to create 18nm chips using ex-Samsung engineers' memories, but switched to creating its own document after insufficient results.
The leaked document included specific equipment supplier details and process developments unique to Samsung. CXMT's rapid expansion from zero facilities to DRAM wafer production in under two years is unprecedented and suggests alleged IP theft. The company now holds 10% of the global DRAM market, with revenue growing 716% in Q2 2026 and an IPO value of $8.6 billion USD.
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