Five years ago, ChangXin Memory Technologies had essentially zero presence in the global DRAM market. Today, the Chinese chipmaker controls an estimated 7.7% to 11.1% of worldwide DRAM capacity, and it’s aiming for 13.9% by 2027. Its compatriot Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp, better known as YMTC, has carved out roughly 11% to 13% of the global NAND flash market. Projections suggest it could hit 15% by 2028.

The numbers behind the surge

CXMT’s production ambitions are staggering. The company is targeting output of more than 300,000 wafers per month. CXMT’s DRAM modules are reportedly selling for around $150, compared to international averages of $300 to $400.

In July 2026, CXMT cemented its growing influence with a $7 billion deal with ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.

YMTC first turned heads in 2019 with its 64-layer 3D NAND technology. Since then, YMTC has been on an aggressive expansion tear, with new plants under construction and mass production from those facilities expected by late 2026 or early 2027.

Both companies benefit from massive state backing and a captive domestic market. Tech giants like Alibaba and Tencent provide a built-in demand floor that absorbs output while the companies scale.

Geopolitics, delisting, and market access

In February 2026, CXMT was removed from the Pentagon’s Section 1260H restricted list, which opens the door for the company to participate more broadly in global markets, including potentially supplying US-based customers.

YMTC remains subject to certain US restrictions, but its domestic market alone is large enough to sustain significant growth, and its expanding NAND capacity gives Chinese OEMs a supply chain that doesn’t route through Seoul or Boise.

What this means for crypto and hardware-dependent industries

Memory chips are a critical component in mining hardware, AI training infrastructure, and high-performance computing systems. CXMT selling DRAM at roughly half the global average price creates downstream effects. If that pricing pressure persists as capacity ramps, the cost of building and operating mining rigs could decline, translating directly into improved margins for miners or a lower barrier to entry for new participants.

Reports have surfaced of derivative tokens and a meme coin linked to the CXMT brand, suggesting crypto traders are already positioning around the semiconductor narrative.

Samsung and SK Hynix are investing heavily in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI accelerators, a premium segment where Chinese competitors haven’t yet caught up. Micron is doing the same.