CXMT, China's leading DRAM maker, plans to launch an IPO in Shanghai as early as the first quarter of 2026, targeting a valuation of up to CNY300 billion (US$42.1 billion), according to Reuters, Gelonghui, and Sina. The planned listing underscores Beijing's drive for semiconductor self-sufficiency as Washington tightens restrictions on China's access to advanced chip technologies.

While advanced packaging technologies first gained traction in high-end smartphones, it was the supply crunch of AI chips in 2023 that truly mobilized the semiconductor industry around this emerging field. As demand for advanced packaging surged, the industry quickly turned to a familiar solution: standardization, one of its most time-tested strategies for managing complex supply chains and reducing the communication overhead between players across the value chain.

Samsung Electronics is reportedly ramping up investment in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, planning to add five more systems for its memory division alongside two high-numerical-aperture (High NA) EUV tools for its foundry arm. The move positions Samsung for the anticipated memory supercycle, as DRAM and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) manufacturers race to expand next-generation production capacity.