South Korean media: ChangXin Memory is shaking up the global "DRAM three giants" system!
On February 15, South Korean media "JoongAng Ilbo" published an article stating that Chinese memory manufacturer ChangXin Memory is developing strongly. It is predicted that with its recent rapid increase in market share, the global memory market will also change.
According to semiconductor industry sources, ChangXin Memory is considering increasing its annual wafer output by 20% to 30%, focusing on its Hefei factory, to expand capacity. As of the end of last year, ChangXin Memory's monthly wafer capacity was estimated to be around 250,000 pieces.
For many years, Chinese memory manufacturers have been technologically lagging behind leading South Korean companies. However, recent analysis shows that their process technology gap has narrowed to one or two generations. Given the characteristics of the semiconductor market being technology and capital intensive, China's strong support has enabled ChangXin Memory to catch up quickly.
In fact, ChangXin Memory began mass production of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix's main products DDR5 at the end of 2024, shocking the semiconductor market. Considering that ChangXin Memory is a new company established in 2016, it is rapidly narrowing the gap with existing manufacturers.
The rapid growth of ChangXin Memory could disrupt the long-established "DRAM three giants" (Samsung, SK, and Micron). Although ChangXin Memory may find it difficult to break through the technical barriers of leading enterprises in the short term, if it can expand its scale by relying on the strong policy support of the government and stable domestic demand, it may join the ranks of the "global four giants".
According to data released by research company TrendForce, ChangXin Memory's global DRAM market share was less than 1% at the beginning of 2020. However, as of the end of last year, its market share had risen to 5%, ranking fourth globally. It is predicted that ChangXin Memory's DRAM market share this year is expected to reach about 10%.
Under the context of the United States restricting China's access to advanced semiconductor equipment, ChangXin Memory's growth has drawn more attention. If ChangXin Memory can supply advanced HBM chips to Huawei, it is expected to significantly change the global memory market landscape.
A South Korean industry insider said, "ChangXin Memory's capacity has been growing steadily, with an annual growth rate of 40% to 50%. Considering its low-price strategy and strong investment strength, it is not impossible for it to rise to become one of the global memory four giants."
Original: toutiao.com/article/1857155643141120/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.