POLICY · COMPANIES · #3006
Huawei reportedly tells customers to source HBM3E for Ascend 960DT on the black market
The Information reports Huawei has told some customers to procure High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM/HBM3E) themselves amid shortages and U.S. export restrictions that limit purchases from Samsung and SK Hynix. Smugglers are allegedly bundling HBM with low-end processors routed through Hong Kong, driving black‑market prices to roughly $4,000 per HBM unit and raising memory costs per Ascend 960DT chip to as much as ~$32,000.
KEY POINTS
- The Information reports Huawei has told some customers to procure High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM/HBM3E) themselves amid shortages and U.S.
- export restrictions that limit purchases from Samsung and SK Hynix.
- Smugglers are allegedly bundling HBM with low-end processors routed through Hong Kong, driving black‑market prices to roughly $4,000 per HBM unit and raising memory costs per Ascend 960DT chip to as much as ~$32,000.
WHY IT MATTERS
If accurate, this shows U.S. export controls and supply shortages are forcing alternative and risky procurement routes that could undermine hardware security, raise AI deployment costs, and complicate enforcement of sanctions.