ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), China's largest DRAM manufacturer, intends to launch limited commercial production of HBM3E memory chips within the next two months. The company is proceeding despite significant manufacturing challenges, as current production yields range only between 20% and 30%.
These figures indicate that the majority of chips produced fail quality checks, contrasting sharply with industry leaders like SK Hynix, which achieve yields of approximately 70%. Furthermore, reports suggest that the technical specifications of the CXMT chips may align more closely with the previous HBM3 generation than the HBM3E standard.
The decision to move forward follows US export controls introduced in December 2024, which restricted Chinese access to advanced memory from foreign suppliers. This policy has created a supply shortage, prompting domestic companies such as Alibaba’s T-Head and Cambricon to begin preliminary testing of CXMT’s samples.
CXMT currently ranks as the fourth-largest global DRAM producer by revenue, operating fabrication facilities in Hefei and Beijing. The company aims to reach a monthly production capacity of approximately 350 000 wafers by the end of 2026 as it seeks to address domestic demand for AI hardware components.
