Apple has been testing memory chips from China’s CXMT, according to people familiar with the matter

Apple has commenced testing DRAM chips from ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) for its devices intended for sale within China. This move is part of Apple's strategy to address a global memory chip shortage and potentially diversify its supplier base. The Financial Times reported that Apple is also actively lobbying the U.S. government to permit wider use of CXMT's products, despite the company being on the Pentagon's blacklist of firms linked to the Chinese military.

This decision comes at a time when Apple faces significant geopolitical scrutiny regarding its involvement with Chinese suppliers. Earlier attempts by Apple in 2022 to source memory from Chinese companies, including Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC), faced strong objections from U.S. policymakers, including then-Senator Marco Rubio, who is now Secretary of State. CXMT is also slated to become a key player in Beijing's ambitions for a self-sufficient AI supply chain and is expected to raise at least 29.5 billion yuan (approximately $4.3 billion) in an upcoming IPO.

While CXMT is currently the world's fourth-largest producer of DRAM, with its market share projected to grow from 11% last year to 15% by 2028, analysts like Ray Wang of SemiAnalysis suggest Apple's current testing is more for early-stage qualification rather than immediate commercial adoption. Apple's interest in CXMT may also be a strategic play to gain leverage in negotiations with incumbent memory suppliers like Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, especially given the significant surge in DRAM contract prices, which rose an estimated 55% to 60% in early 2026.

Apple's CEO Tim Cook has reportedly engaged directly with U.S. administration officials, framing the potential use of Chinese-made memory as specifically for devices sold in the Chinese market, thereby freeing up chips from other major suppliers for global sales. However, there is internal disagreement within the administration, and it remains uncertain whether Apple's lobbying efforts will succeed in preventing CXMT from being added to the Commerce Department's Entity List, which would restrict U.S. companies from dealing with it without an export license.