[Edaily Reporter SOYEON KIM ] China’s Changxin Memory Technology (CXMT) is set to begin mass production of LPDDR6, a low-power DRAM, in the second half of this year, causing a seismic shift in the global memory industry. This is because CXMT has entered the final stages of development and verification for LPDDR6 DRAM, accelerating its pursuit of K-Memory.

◇ China Catches Up to LPDDR6… Accelerating Semiconductor Self-Reliance

Following the launch of LPDDR5 in 2023, CXMT announced the mass production of LPDDR5X in October of last year. Less than a year later, it has already reached the sample supply stage for LPDDR6. As CXMT closes in on LPDDR6—which SamsungElectronics and SK hynix aim to mass-produce in the second half of this year—observers note that the pace of technological advancement in Chinese memory is accelerating.

China is building a semiconductor ecosystem by promoting the localization of materials, parts, and equipment (MPE) while supplying domestically produced memory to domestic manufacturers such as Xiaomi and Huawei. It is creating a virtuous cycle in which it accumulates mass production experience based on domestic demand and enhances its technological competitiveness. As a result, CXMT has risen to fourth place in the global memory market in just a few years. According to market research firm Counterpoint Research, DRAM market share for the first quarter of this year was as follows: SamsungElectronics at 38%, SK hynix at 29%, Micron at 22%, and CXMT at 8%.

In particular, while South Korean and U.S. companies are focusing their efforts on high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI and cutting-edge manufacturing processes, CXMT is rapidly expanding its production capacity for legacy DRAM and NAND flash, backed by support from the Chinese government.

◇ LPDDR DRAM Used in AI Accelerators Instead of HBM

Furthermore, LPDDR poses a significant threat because its scope of application is expanding beyond mobile devices to include AI infrastructure. Connecting multiple LPDDR modules in parallel increases memory bandwidth, allowing them to complement or partially replace high-bandwidth memory (HBM) in certain AI inference and high-performance graphics applications.

From China’s perspective, LPDDR is even more critical. With U.S. sanctions preventing access to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment, even if HBM development is delayed, LPDDR-based solutions can still ensure a certain level of competitiveness in AI memory. Since using multiple LPDDR modules can increase bandwidth even without HBM, China—which has fallen behind in HBM development—can easily buy itself time. While HBM remains essential for top-tier AI training graphics processing units (GPUs), the scope of LPDDR usage—driven by its power efficiency and price competitiveness—is gradually expanding.

In fact, CXMT had aimed to begin mass production of HBM3 in the first half of this year, but its full-scale commercialization schedule is reportedly delayed due to low yield rates and issues with stabilizing the through-silicon via (TSV) process.

LPDDR is expanding its application scope to include low-power servers, AI accelerators, and edge data centers. NVIDIA’s next-generation AI platform, “Vera Rubin,” will utilize LPDDR5X-based SOCAMM. By combining multiple LPDDR5X chips into a single module, it delivers high bandwidth and space efficiency, making it a popular choice for AI accelerators. It is also gaining attention as an alternative that can address the high cost and supply shortages associated with HBM.

◇ Technology Gap Exists… Achieving a Significant Technological Lead Is Essential

LPDDR is the core memory for on-device AI, which runs AI models within DEVICES. As the on-device AI market expands in the future, the importance of LPDDR6 is expected to grow even further. Observers note that with CXMT catching up in LPDDR technology, the battle for leadership in the next-generation AI ecosystem has begun in earnest.

However, a technology gap still exists. Earlier this year, SamsungElectronics and SK hynix each unveiled their 16Gb (gigabit) LPDDR6 products. SK hynix developed the industry’s first 16Gb LPDDR6 using a 10-nanometer-class 6th-generation (1c) process. It achieves a maximum data transfer rate of 14.4 Gbps and is set to enter mass production in the second half of this year. SamsungElectronics also unveiled an LPDDR6 chip using the 1b process, supporting up to 14.4 Gbps at a low operating voltage of 1.025 V.

Jeon Byeong-seo, Director of the China Economic and Financial Research Institute, stated, “In the history of the semiconductor industry, shifts in market leadership have always occurred faster than expected and in unexpected ways.” He added, “For HBM5, HBM5E, and 3D DRAM roadmaps, execution—not mere announcements—is what matters. For the Korean semiconductor industry to survive, it is crucial to secure a leading position in next-generation packaging technologies and other areas.”