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Illustration of ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) logo and a computer motherboard, photographed April 14. / Reuters-Yonhap

Bloomberg reported on the 4th (local time) that ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), a Chinese state-backed memory chipmaker blacklisted by the U.S. Department of Defense (War), is preparing to produce small quantities of sixth-generation low-power double data rate (LPDDR6) memory by year-end.

Bloomberg assessed that as CXMT prepares to produce chips on par with the industry's most advanced designs, it is narrowing the smartphone memory gap with leading firms such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. However, the report noted that CXMT still needs to secure mass-production capacity to translate product development into actual competitiveness.

CXMT to begin small-scale LPDDR6 production by year-end after prototype validation, mass production to follow

CXMT plans to begin small-scale production of LPDDR6 by year-end if prototype testing produces satisfactory results, with mass production to follow afterward, according to a person familiar with the matter. Chinese business outlet Yicai first reported the plan. Bloomberg noted that if production materializes, it would mark a breakthrough in China's push for technological self-sufficiency, reducing its reliance on advanced foreign components.

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President Lee Jae-myung raises a toast with attendees at a dinner for global AI leaders held at The Ramp restaurant in San Francisco on July 24 (local time). From right: Naver Board Chairman Lee Hae-jin, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, President Lee Jae-myung, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun, Presidential Chief Policy Officer Kim Yong-beom, Microsoft Azure Hardware President Rani Borkar, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon. / Yonhap

SK Hynix, Samsung lead in LPDDR6 development; CXMT's mass-production capacity will determine its competitiveness

LPDDR6, the market CXMT is entering, offers faster data transfer speeds and improved power efficiency compared to the previous generation. It is used to run AI applications directly on smartphones and laptops. SK Hynix developed a 16GB LPDDR6 chip using a 10-nanometer-class sixth-generation process in March.

The product offers 33% faster data processing speed and more than 20% higher power efficiency than LPDDR5X. Samsung Electronics has also said it is developing a similar LPDDR6 product. Even if CXMT enters the same product category, it will need to secure production scale in order to compete directly with Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron Technology.

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A ceremony marking ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT)'s listing is held on July 27 on the STAR Market, the Shanghai Stock Exchange's board dedicated to technology companies. / People's Daily

CXMT's profit swings from 16.3bn yuan loss to 24.8bn yuan gain, driven by surging memory prices

CXMT's technological push has been backed by a recent turnaround in performance. Revenue grew from 9.1 billion yuan (1.9281 trillion won) in 2023 to 24.2 billion yuan (5.1275 trillion won) in 2024. It reached 61.8 billion yuan (13.0942 trillion won) in 2025, and hit 50.8 billion yuan (10.7635 trillion won) in the first quarter of 2026 alone.

Net profit also swung sharply from losses into the black. CXMT posted losses of 16.3 billion yuan (3.4536 trillion won) in 2023 and 7.1 billion yuan (1.5043 trillion won) in 2024. It turned a profit of 1.9 billion yuan (402.6 billion won) in 2025, and posted a profit of 24.8 billion yuan (5.2546 trillion won) in the first quarter of 2026.

Bloomberg attributed CXMT's turnaround in profitability to the surge in memory prices since 2025. Amid this improved performance, CXMT completed a large-scale initial public offering (IPO) in Shanghai on July 27.

Apple pushes to source CXMT memory, U.S. lawmakers object over reliance on parts from "adversary" nation

Worsening global memory shortages driven by the spread of AI have also created an opening for CXMT to enter the market. Meta Platforms and Amazon have locked in years' worth of production capacity in advance. The resulting supply shortage and price increases have emerged as a key bottleneck for major consumer electronics makers, including Apple.

Apple raised prices across its Mac, iPad, home devices, and Vision Pro lineups in June. Apple executives subsequently lobbied U.S. policymakers to allow the company to source chips from Chinese suppliers including CXMT. However, the effort has hit resistance, with U.S. lawmakers objecting that it could leave Apple dependent on core components from a U.S. adversary.

                                                                                                                Ha Man-ju