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Trump Administration Halts Sales of Chip Design Software to China

The Commerce Department has suspended licences for electronic design automation tools to curtail Beijing’s AI chip ambitions.

Overview

  • Letters from the Bureau of Industry and Security instructed Cadence, Synopsys and Siemens EDA to stop exporting software to Chinese customers without new Commerce approval.
  • Synopsys directed its China staff to suspend services, halt sales and refuse new orders effective May 29 under the tightened export rules.
  • Cadence, Synopsys and Siemens EDA together control about 80% of China’s EDA market, with China accounting for roughly 12% of Cadence’s and 16% of Synopsys’ fiscal 2024 revenue.
  • Shares of Cadence and Synopsys plunged more than 9% on the announcement before partially recovering after Synopsys reaffirmed its full-year guidance.
  • Market analysts say the restrictions will spur Chinese firms to accelerate domestic EDA development and may test the fragile 90-day US-China tariff truce.