Apple is lobbying the US Commerce Department and the Trump administration for approval to buy chips from China’s ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT). The company is looking to secure supply despite CXMT being on the Pentagon’s military blacklist.
The 1260H list flags military ties but does not block commercial deals. Apple wants assurance that CXMT won’t be moved to the Entity List, which would require licenses and could cut off supply.
Apple is facing its worst memory shortage in years. Prices of Mac, iPad, and home devices jumped by $100 to $500 on June 25. Shares fell more than 6%, marking the worst single-day drop since April 2025.
Memory prices have quadrupled in the past three quarters. Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron shifted production to high-bandwidth memory for AI data centers, leaving consumer devices short. CXMT offers DDR5 memory at lower prices, making it a potential relief source for Apple.
The Pentagon has repeatedly updated the 1260H list, adding and removing companies like CXMT and YMTC. This creates uncertainty for supply chain planning. Apple wants clarity before committing to CXMT.
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The decision will determine if Apple can ease shortages by tapping CXMT or face continued price hikes and unstable supply.
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