China's leading flash memory chip manufacturer, Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC), is broadening its technological horizons by expanding from NAND flash memory into the DRAM memory arena. Counterpoint Research reports that YMTC is currently developing LPDDR5X memory capable of speeds up to 9600 MT/s, with intentions to transition to mass production at its third wafer fabrication plant (Fab 3) in Wuhan. This strategic move signifies YMTC's inaugural venture into the high-speed mobile memory market, posing a direct challenge to the dominance of international DRAM powerhouses like Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron.

YMTC's DRAM technology roadmap is far from a hasty decision. Since October 2025, the company has been engaged in the research, development, and testing of second-generation 16Gb LPDDR5 at its Fab 2 facility. It has achieved speeds of 7500 MT/s and a monthly wafer output of around 5,000 units. The newly unveiled 9600 MT/s variant represents a substantial leap in speed and, for the first time, incorporates Vertical Channel Transistors (VCT) and a 4F² cell architecture. In contrast to the traditional 6F² architecture, the 4F² design reduces the area of a single memory cell to the square of four times the feature size. This theoretically allows for a greater number of cells to be packed within the same chip area, thereby enhancing density and reducing costs.

YMTC's extensive know-how in wafer-to-wafer bonding technology positions it advantageously for the shift to 3D DRAM. Its proprietary Xtacking technology enables the separate manufacturing of the memory array and peripheral logic circuits, followed by their bonding. This approach diminishes reliance on state-of-the-art lithography equipment. Should the 9600 MT/s LPDDR5X proceed to mass production as planned, it will not only bridge the high-end gap in domestically produced mobile memory but also potentially unlock new growth avenues for the domestic supply chain in the AI device and flagship smartphone markets.