Home / World News / China's underground market for semiconductors draws desperate automakers

China's underground market for semiconductors draws desperate automakers

Opportunists the world over have seized on the chips shortfall, jacking up the price companies pay for the crucial circuital components

Premium

Integrated circuitry boards Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

12 min read Last Updated : Oct 20 2022 | 12:24 AM IST

In her two-bedroom apartment on the outskirts of Chinese tech hub Shenzhen, Wang woke to a deluge of messages. One read: “SPC5744PFK1AMLQ9, 300 pc, 21+. Any need?”

Within minutes, the 32-year-old was at her computer in the living room, hurriedly clearing away empty packets of instant noodles and pulling up a spreadsheet. The code referred to a chip produced by NXP Semiconductors Inc. and used in a car’s microcontroller unit. The sender of the message was trying to find a taker for the 300, made no earlier than 2021, that had come into his possession.

Neither Wang, nor any of

Topics : semiconductor industry China Markets technology industry

What you get on BS Premium?

Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app.
Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them.
Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006.
Preferential invites to Business Standard events.
Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more.

VIEW ALL FAQs

Need More Information - write to us at assist@bsmail.in