Chinese memory maker YMTC has become China’s largest NAND flash chip producer with a 38.5% market share, overtaking Samsung (33.5%) and SK Hynix (17%). In response, both Korean companies are upgrading their production capacity in China. Samsung’s facility in Xian, which accounts for 40% of its global NAND output, is being upgraded to produce V9 chips with 286 layers, starting with 5,000 wafers by year-end and scaling to 40,000 by 2027.
However, Samsung has already introduced V10 with over 400 layers, offering better speed and efficiency. SK Hynix’s Dalian plant, formerly Intel’s, now produces 192-layer chips but has US approval to upgrade to 240-layer and potentially 300+ layer chips. Regulatory hurdles remain, as the US Bureau of Industry and Security has restricted equipment licenses for foreign-owned fabs in China since 2025.
SK Hynix is also exploring NAND production in the US with Intel’s support.
Source: GSMArena · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing