CXMT Memory Prices Surpass Samsung as Demand Soars
According to market sources, China’s memory chip manufacturer ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) was previously expected to become a “low-cost alternative” to Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron, using competitive pricing to gain market share. However, the company’s actual market position has developed differently. CXMT’s key advantage is no longer low prices, but its ability to secure supply amid a global memory shortage. As demand for memory products continues to rise, CXMT has become one of the companies at the forefront of the latest price increases.
According to Reuters, CXMT’s 64GB DDR5 memory module quotations have already surpassed Samsung’s level of approximately $1,240 per unit, a price that was already considered relatively high in the market.
It is worth noting that the price increases are not focused on mainstream consumer PC DDR5 memory products, but rather on server-grade RDIMM modules. CXMT’s related products have reached data transfer speeds of up to 8,000 MT/s, targeting high-performance computing and enterprise applications.
The supply shortage has also spread across China’s domestic market. Several Chinese PC manufacturers are reportedly competing for CXMT’s DRAM capacity, with production schedules already booked through 2027.
Rising memory costs are also beginning to affect China’s AI and technology sectors. Some companies have reportedly delayed new product launches due to increased component expenses.
Even Huawei, one of China’s leading technology companies, has reportedly been affected by the memory supply constraints. Market sources indicated that Huawei previously asked CXMT to reconsider its price increases, but CXMT maintained its pricing strategy. Despite the disagreement, the two companies continue to maintain their existing partnership.
In terms of global DRAM market share, CXMT currently ranks fourth, accounting for approximately 8% to 10% of the market. It still trails the industry’s leading manufacturers, including Micron Technology with around 24%, SK hynix with approximately 29%, and Samsung with roughly 36%.
Although CXMT remains behind the top three global DRAM companies, its expansion strategy continues to accelerate. The company is preparing for its highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO) and is scheduled to list on the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s STAR Market on July 27 under stock code 688825. Meanwhile, CXMT is continuing to invest in new wafer fabrication facilities to strengthen its future production capacity.
On the customer side, CXMT has already established long-term purchase agreements (LTAs) with major Chinese technology companies, including ByteDance and Alibaba, securing stable demand for its memory products.
There have also been reports that Apple previously considered adding CXMT to its supply chain as an alternative memory source. However, with CXMT’s production capacity increasingly locked under multi-year agreements and its pricing approaching or even exceeding that of Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron, the potential partnership may face additional challenges.
As global demand for AI infrastructure, servers, and high-performance computing continues to reshape the memory market, CXMT’s rise highlights a significant shift in the competitive landscape. Rather than competing solely through lower prices, the Chinese memory manufacturer is increasingly gaining influence through supply availability and expanding production capacity.
