Chinese chipmakers invest up to half of revenue in R&D, surpassing US peers in ratio
Chinese chip designers are allocating up to 50% of their revenue to research and development, a ratio far exceeding US counterparts like AMD and Intel, which typically spend 20-30%. This surge is driven by Beijing's push for technological self-reliance. Despite higher ratios, absolute R&D spending remains lower: Nvidia spent $18.5 billion, AMD $8 billion, and Intel $13.8 billion in their most recent fiscal years. The data comes from exchange filings and earnings reports.
Key facts
- Chinese chip designers devote up to half of revenue to R&D.
- US chipmakers AMD and Intel spend 20-30% of revenue on R&D.
- Nvidia spent $18.5 billion on R&D for the year ended January 25, 2026.
- AMD spent $8 billion on R&D for the year ended December 27, 2025.
- Intel spent $13.8 billion on R&D for the year ended December 27, 2025.
- Beijing is pushing for tech self-reliance.
- Chinese chip designers lag US giants in absolute R&D spending.
- Data sourced from exchange filings.
Entities
Institutions
- AMD
- Intel
- Nvidia
Locations
- China
- United States