The TL;DR
Apple is lobbying the US government to authorize the purchase of memory chips from CXMT, which sits on the Pentagon’s military blacklist.
Apple has been seeking Commerce Department officials and other members of the Trump administration for approval to buy memory chips from ChangXin Memory Technologies, according to the Financial Times. CXMT is China’s largest DRAM manufacturer and sits on the Pentagon’s list of companies suspected of collaborating with the Chinese military. Six people familiar with the talks told the FT that Apple first approached the Department of Commerce more than a month ago.
Apple is currently not restricted from buying CXMT chips. The company appears on the Pentagon’s so-called 1260H list, a designation that carries risk and restricts a Defense Department contract but does not impose the kind of trade restrictions that would prevent a private company from doing business with it. What Apple wants, according to the FT, is a guarantee that CXMT will not be added to the Commerce Department’s business listing, a separate and more restrictive designation that would require American consumers to obtain a license before buying its products.
The move comes as Apple faces its worst memory shortage in recent history. The company raised prices on all Mac, iPad, and home devices on June 25, with increases ranging from $100 to $500 per product. The 13-inch MacBook Air went from $1,099 to $1,299, the 16-inch MacBook Pro went up from $2,499 to $2,999, and the Vision Pro went up $500.
Apple shares fell more than 6 percent on the day of the price increase, their worst one-day decline since April 2025. Memory prices have quadrupled over the past three quarters, according to Counterpoint Research, as Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron have redirected wafer capacity from consumer DRAM to high-bandwidth memory for AI data centers. Apple warned during its earnings call in April that the deficit would worsen before it improved.
TNW City Coworking Space – Where your best work happens
A workplace designed for growth, collaboration, and endless networking opportunities at the heart of technology.
CXMT appeared as a possible relief valve. The company has been supplying DDR5 memory to Western companies including Corsair at prices that undercut the three leading manufacturers. But its position in the 1260H lineup makes it a politically sensitive supplier for any major American company, especially one as visible as Apple.
The 1260H designation has had a turbulent recent history. The Pentagon briefly delisted CXMT and fellow Chinese chipmaker YMTC in February before withdrawing the review altogether after criticism from China hawks in Congress. Both companies were reinstated to the list in a June update that expanded it to 188 entities, adding Alibaba, Baidu, and BYD and a host of other Chinese technology and security companies.
The difference between the 1260H list and the Enterprise list is very important in Apple’s supply chain calculations. Being on the 1260H list indicates that the Pentagon considers the company to have military ties, but does not prevent commercial transactions between private firms. The Business Directory, maintained by the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security, may set licensing requirements that would effectively exclude CXMT as a supplier.
Luring Apple is an attempt to ensure certainty before committing to a relationship that could be improved by a single regulatory decision. The company has watched other companies navigate the same uncertain path with mixed results, and appears unwilling to build a supply chain dependency without official assurances from Washington.
Apple declined to comment on the discussions. The White House did not respond to the FT’s request for comment.
