Chinese CXMT implements the “Project Hefei” plan: theft of Samsung DRAM technologies and rapid growth
- CXMT has been executing a plan to steal Samsung's DRAM technologies since 2016.
- By 2026, the company controls about 10% of the global memory market.
- The 2026 IPO raised $8.6 billion, with most of the investments in DRAM.
In 2016, just two months after its founding, the Chinese company CXMT launched a large-scale 'Hefei Project'. According to the South Korean prosecutor's office, the plan included a phased copying of Samsung's DRAM technologies and attracting key specialists from the company.
The project was led by the former head of the DRAM department at Samsung, while the investment part was handled by an employee responsible for equipment procurement. By August 2016, a draft plan was prepared, and by September, CXMT planned to acquire the Process Recipe Plan (PRP) technology roadmap from Samsung, attract its engineers by October, and complete the preparation of its own technology by July 2017.
What is PRP and why is it important
PRP is a detailed description of more than 620 technological stages of DRAM production, including operation names, process parameters, information about equipment and suppliers. Samsung developed the 18-nm technology process starting in 2012, involving more than 1,100 specialists and investing about 1.6 trillion won, with access to the PRP being strictly limited as a trade secret.
In August 2016, CXMT attempted to recreate the PRP, relying solely on the memories of hired former Samsung engineers. It turned out that without the original document, it was impossible to reproduce all 620 steps. According to the investigation materials, in September, CXMT did receive part of the PRP, including supplier names and equipment models, after which it compiled its own PRP in four days (September 23-26) and submitted it to former Samsung employees for verification.
In 2019, CXMT announced its readiness for mass production of 8-Gbit DDR4 chips and began selling them within China. The subsequent boom in artificial intelligence and the global memory shortage contributed to the company's growth: its share of the global DRAM market increased from about 4% in the second quarter of 2025 to 10% in the second quarter of 2026.
By the end of 2026, CXMT plans to increase production at its three factories to 350,000 wafers per month, comparable to Micron's output (375-385,000 wafers). Additionally, the company is preparing to build another factory in Beijing and aims to reach over 600,000 wafers per month in the future.
In July 2026, CXMT held an IPO on the Shanghai STAR Market, raising $8.6 billion, and the shares increased by 466%. About 70% of the funds raised will be directed towards expanding DRAM production, rather than more expensive HBM solutions. Nevertheless, CXMT has already supplied HBM3E samples to Chinese AI accelerator developers T-Head and Cambricon.
Source: 3DNews
