China’s YMTC breaks into global top 3 flash-memory suppliers with 14% market share
The chipmaker captured a larger proportion of bit shipments, but still ranks fifth by revenue due to heavier exposure to lower-value products
Yangtze Memory Technologies Corporation (YMTC) has broken into the world’s top three NAND flash memory suppliers by volume for the first time, marking a milestone for China’s semiconductor ambitions as it strives to narrow the revenue gap with global rivals in high-value data-centre storage.
The Wuhan-based chipmaker captured 14 per cent of global NAND bit shipments – a measure of total storage capacity shipped rather than total chip units – in the second quarter, narrowly overtaking Japan’s Kioxia, according to data from Counterpoint Research published on Wednesday.
Samsung Electronics retained the global lead with a 25 per cent market share, while SK Hynix – including its Solidigm subsidiary – was second at 22 per cent.
YMTC’s shipments climbed 22 per cent year on year and 5 per cent quarter on quarter, driven by expanding supplies to domestic electronics manufacturers and the increased production of its latest-generation 3D NAND architecture, Counterpoint said.