According to a report from TrendForce, Kingston remains the top SSD module manufacturer, commanding an impressive market share of 34 per cent, but the Chinese are making gains.

Leading SSD brands saw their market share rise from 59 per cent in 2022 to 72 per cent in 2023. The report indicates that these companies are using their enhanced positions to secure better NAND
Flash prices from major suppliers such as Samsung, Kioxia, Western Digital, SK Hynix, and Micron.

In 2023, SSD sales reached 180 million units, marking a 3.7 per cent year-over-year increase, largely due to a price hike scare in the second half of the year that spurred consumers to purchase SSDs in advance.

Kingston's unrivalled status is followed by Adata, which holds a market share of 11 per cent. Lexar ties with Adata for the third spot, while two domestic Chinese manufacturers, Kimtigo (9 per cent) and Biwin (7 per cent), have captured the fourth and fifth positions, respectively. Four of the ten companies listed are Chinese, collectively contributing around 23 per cent of the market.

TrendForce's analysis highlights that despite US sanctions, China has made significant progress in NVMe technology, advancing from PCIe 4.0 to PCIe 5.0, and improving local NAND Flash production through competitive process nodes.

Additionally, two relatively unknown brands, Kimtigo and Biwin, supported primarily by Chinese customers, now hold nearly 16 per cent of the market.

While achieving parity with industry giants like TSMC, Intel, and Samsung may take time, China's growth in the memory controller and NAND Flash sectors bodes well for the future. It looks like Chinese brands might eventually compete with Intel, Nvidia, and AMD.