Apple has begun technical qualification testing of DRAM memory chips made by ChangXin Memory Technologies, China’s largest domestic memory producer and a company the Pentagon has designated as a Chinese military company. The chips are being evaluated for use in iPhones and MacBooks sold specifically in the Chinese market.
The move comes as AI-driven demand has sent global DRAM prices climbing, squeezing margins for every major device maker on the planet. Apple appears to be hedging its bets on supply while simultaneously lobbying US officials for permission to use CXMT chips more broadly.
The CXMT factor
Founded in 2016, CXMT has grown remarkably fast. The company now holds roughly 7-8% of the global DRAM market.
CXMT’s trajectory hit a new peak on July 27, 2026, when it debuted on Shanghai’s STAR Market. The IPO raised approximately $8.6B, and shares surged more than 466% on their first day of trading. That briefly made CXMT the most valuable listed company in China.
As of early August 2026, Apple has not confirmed any commercial use of CXMT chips. The testing remains confined to devices destined for China.
Washington is not amused
CXMT sits on the US Defense Department’s list of Chinese military companies, a designation that doesn’t automatically ban American firms from doing business with it but does raise the political temperature considerably.
On July 29, 2026, bipartisan US senators urged Apple to reject CXMT chips outright.
Apple has been down this road before. In 2022, the company explored using NAND flash memory from Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp (YMTC) for China-sold iPhones. That experiment ended when US government pressure made the relationship untenable. YMTC was subsequently added to the Commerce Department’s Entity List.
Apple appears to be proactively engaging with US officials this time, seeking clearance rather than waiting for the hammer to drop.
Why DRAM prices are forcing Apple’s hand
AI workloads have created enormous new demand for high-bandwidth DRAM, and Apple’s 2026 product lineup reflects higher component costs, with memory being a significant contributor.
Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron collectively control the vast majority of global production, and all three are prioritizing high-margin AI memory products like HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) over the commodity DRAM that goes into smartphones and laptops.
CXMT’s chips, while not at the cutting edge of process technology, could serve for standard consumer devices. CXMT has been shipping to other Chinese device makers for years. The technical qualification process Apple is running typically takes several months of rigorous testing before chips are approved for production use.