Apple seeks US approval to use CXMT and YMTC chips in China iPhones

TL;DR: Apple is seeking approval from the Trump administration in June 2026 to buy memory chips from Chinese suppliers CXMT and YMTC for iPhones sold in China. The two companies are blacklisted by the Pentagon. Apple made a similar request to the Biden administration in 2022, and that effort was unsuccessful, according to 9to5Mac.

Apple is seeking US government approval to buy memory chips from Chinese companies CXMT and YMTC for iPhones sold in China, according to a 9to5Mac report published on June 29, 2026. The report says Apple is trying to persuade the Trump administration to clear the purchases despite both suppliers being blacklisted by the Pentagon.

9to5Mac reported that Apple had previously asked the Biden administration in 2022 for permission to use chips from the same Chinese companies. According to the report, Apple said at the time that the chips would be used only in iPhones sold in China, but the request did not succeed.

The report identifies CXMT and YMTC as the two Chinese memory chip companies involved in Apple's request. It does not state that approval has been granted, and it indicates Apple may face difficulty obtaining clearance based on the outcome of its 2022 effort.

Related questions

• Which Chinese chip suppliers is Apple seeking approval to use for China-market iPhones?
• When did Apple previously ask the US government for similar approval?
• Did Apple's 2022 request to use CXMT and YMTC chips succeed?