China Matches Samsung, SK Hynix in HBM3 Memory, Powering GPUs

For months now, the global technology arena has been witnessing a seismic shift driven by the soaring demand for artificial‑intelligence chips and the tightening export controls imposed by the United States on cutting‑edge manufacturing equipment.

In this fraught landscape, China has seized a rare opening to accelerate its position in the high‑performance memory market, achieving breakthroughs that have stunned industry observers.

According to a report released by Wccftech, state‑backed Chinese firms have slashed the technological gap with South Korean giants to a mere three years, reaching parity in the development of HBM3—high‑bandwidth memory, third generation—through the domestic company CXMT. The firm already possesses the capability to produce these critical components and is gearing up to scale output massively by the end of 2026, while simultaneously seeking to raise billions of dollars on the stock market to sustain this ambitious push.

NVIDIA had to devise a China‑specific variant, the H20, to meet stringent local regulations without alienating its customer base. The H20 surprisingly packs more memory to offset performance constraints, while domestic firm CXMT has already mastered the fabrication technique. Yet, CXMT still faces the natural hurdle of increasing the yield of defect‑free wafers as it pushes toward an ambitious target of 300,000 12‑inch wafers per month by the end of 2026.

Despite these impressive strides, the broader industry picture shows South Korean manufacturers still hold a generational edge over their Chinese counterparts. Wccftech notes that while CXMT has just begun to master current technology, newer chips are already adopting an enhanced version. By year‑end, commercial agreements are expected to launch the next major leap, HBM4, which promises to nearly double the data throughput of these tiny components within the same time frame.

Ultimately, the intricate assembly and integration of these elements remain the exclusive domain of TSMC in Taiwan. To stay competitive amid the AI boom, CXMT has secured approval to go public, aiming to raise over $4 billion—capital that will fuel its continued participation in this demanding yet exhilarating global tech race.