CHINAFUND News | STAR Market Semiconductor Enterprises Build a "Reliable and Controllable" Industrial Ecosystem

CHINAFUND, April 3 – In the first two months of 2026, China's integrated circuit (IC) exports soared 72.6% year-on-year to USD 43.3 billion, with a 13% increase in volume and a 52% rise in price, marking the industry's shift toward "high-end output" transformation. Behind this data lies critical support from the full-industry-chain layout of the STAR Market's semiconductor industry cluster. To date, the STAR Market is home to 128 semiconductor companies, accounting for more than 60% of A-share listed peers in the sector. It has formed a complete industrial ecosystem covering IC design, manufacturing, packaging and testing, equipment and materials, with aggregate IPO fundraising exceeding RMB 320 billion. Taking Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) as an example: since its listing on the STAR Market, the company has continuously advanced the construction of four 12-inch new fab projects. Its monthly production capacity of 8-inch equivalent wafers has increased from 450,000 wafers before listing to 1.059 million wafers, with an average annual capital expenditure exceeding RMB 50 billion in the past three years, laying a strategic head start for domestic high-end chip manufacturing.