Rohan Paul (@rohanpaul_ai) · 10/22/2026, 13:55:12
Samsung Upgrades Xi'an Plant to 286-Layer NAND Amid Export Control Uncertainty
Samsung is upgrading its Xi'an plant, responsible for ~40% of global NAND output, from 200-layer to 286-layer V9 chips, targeting 40k wafers/month by late 2027. While Samsung claims compliance with US export rules without adding capacity, the Commerce Department previously limited approvals to continued operations rather than upgrades, leaving both Samsung and SK Hynix's high-layer NAND initiatives in regulatory uncertainty.
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Samsung is converting its Xian plant, which produces about 40% of its global NAND, from roughly 200-layer chips to 286-layer V9 chips under an internal project called “Monami”. That conversion aims for 5,000 wafers a month in December and 40,000 wafers a month by December 2027 SK Hynix wants to lift its Dalian plant from 192-layer NAND to 240 layers or more, and one person says it is already authorised to make chips up to 240 layers there. SK Hynix may also seek US permission for research on 300-plus-layer chips at Dalian, work meant to prepare for possible NAND production in the US. Both companies say the upgrades are happening in consultation with Washington, yet the Commerce Department said in 2025 it would license only continued operation of these plants, not capacity growth or technology upgrades, and the extent of any new approvals is unknown. Samsung insists the work meets US export rules and serves global customers, including US buyers, without adding production capacity or new facilities.