• D.C.
  • BXL
  • Lagos
  • Riyadh
  • Beijing
  • SG

Intelligence for the New World Economy

  • D.C.
  • BXL
  • Lagos
Semafor Logo
  • Riyadh
  • Beijing
  • SG


Flagship newsletter icon
From Semafor Flagship
In your inbox, every weekday
Sign up

Chinese chipmakers go public as self-sufficiency push expands

Jan 22, 2026, 5:31pm EST
PostEmailWhatsapp
emiconductor chips are seen on a circuit board of a computer
Florence Lo/Illustration/File Photo/Reuters

Chinese AI chipmaker Moore Threads tripled its revenue in 2025, estimates show, as Beijing accelerates its push for technological self-sufficiency.

The company, which aims to rival Nvidia, is at the front of a stream of Chinese chip firms going public.

Tech giants Alibaba and Baidu plan to spin off their semiconductor units as independent listings in a bid to capitalize on enthusiasm for locally made processors.

That domestic push is central to the debate over Beijing’s move to restrict imports of powerful Nvidia H200 chips after Washington approved their sale.

China wants to reduce reliance on US tech, but Chinese companies are hungry for the superior Nvidia products, with some considering sourcing H200s from the black market.

Chart showing China annual chip imports
AD