China's CXMT eyes flash-memory push amid global shortage; firm to take on Samsung, YMTC
Chinese chipmaker CXMT is preparing to enter the booming flash memory chip market dominated by Samsung Electronics and other foreign rivals, three people with knowledge of the matter said, a move that...
Chinese semiconductor firm CXMT is set to enter the flash memory market, dominated by Samsung and other global players, to address a global memory shortage, according to industry sources. The move would also see CXMT compete with domestic rival YMTC in the high-growth segment of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips. The shortage, driven by strong demand for artificial intelligence servers, is expected to last through at least 2027, according to industry executives.
SK Hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung warned in July that 2027 could be the industry's worst year in terms of supply, while TrendForce expects NAND supply tightness to ease only in the second half of next year. CXMT, also known as ChangXin Memory Technologies, plans to establish an R&D production line for NAND flash memory at its new Beijing plant, sources said.
The company has also set up a research institute in Beijing, focusing on NAND development. CXMT has discussed its NAND plans with customers, including a newly established startup planning to purchase its NAND chips for AI systems and supercomputers. It remains unclear when CXMT's R&D production line will begin operations or if the company intends to move from R&D to large-scale commercial manufacturing.
CXMT and YMTC, both known as the "twin stars" of China's memory-chip industry, have historically operated in separate markets. However, they are now blurring those lines, with YMTC exploring entry into CXMT's core DRAM market and both firms benefiting from Beijing's push to build a self-sufficient chip industry.
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