Can China’s RISC-V Revolution Reshape the Global Chip Industry?

For decades, China’s semiconductor industry relied heavily on well-established foreign architectures, primarily x86 and ARM, which have dominated computing worldwide. The x86 architecture, owned by Intel and AMD, powers nearly all of the world’s PCs and many data-center servers, while ARM—now owned by SoftBank—dominates smartphones, tablets, and increasingly data-center processors, thanks to its power-efficient design and widespread software support.

For many years, Chinese technology giants like Huawei relied heavily on ARM processors to power their smartphones and networking devices. At the same time, other companies in China, such as Zhaoxin—a joint venture connected to VIA Technologies—built their computers around licensed x86 chips, familiar from Intel and AMD. It seemed like a practical strategy: these proven chip designs allowed Chinese firms to quickly keep up with global technology trends.

But this reliance came with a hidden cost: vulnerability. When geopolitical tensions flared between the U.S. and China, these proprietary technologies became a significant weak spot. The clearest example of this vulnerability appeared in 2019, when the U.S. imposed export restrictions on Huawei, forcing ARM to cut off access to its designs. Suddenly, Huawei faced an uncertain future, unable to produce new phones without the processors they depended on.

This moment became a turning point for China. Realizing the risks of depending so heavily on foreign-controlled architectures, the country swiftly shifted gears. Today, China is investing heavily in RISC-V, an open-source instruction set architecture (ISA) that’s free from international licensing restrictions, offering a promising path toward technological independence.

China’s semiconductor strategy is changing fast. The country is shifting its focus toward RISC-V, an open-source instruction set architecture (ISA) that anyone can use freely. But this shift isn’t just about technology; it’s a strategic move with the goal of semiconductor independence. By embracing RISC-V, China hopes to build a domestic ecosystem that’s resilient to international tensions.

But how competitive is RISC-V compared to established architectures like x86 or ARM? And what impact could this shift have on the global chip industry?

China’s Shift to RISC-V

The move toward RISC-V isn’t just about technology—it’s about control. For years, China relied on licensed ARM cores for mobile and embedded applications and x86 processors for servers and PCs. However, U.S. sanctions and export controls—such as those that blocked Huawei’s access to advanced ARM and x86 technologies—exposed the risks of this dependence.

To reduce reliance on Western-controlled chip architectures, the Chinese government has taken active steps to promote RISC-V as a national priority:

• In 2025, China issued official guidelines to encourage widespread RISC-V adoption across industries, making it the first government to formally back the ISA as a key strategic technology.
• State funding has accelerated R&D efforts at institutions like the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), which developed the XiangShan RISC-V CPU—one of the most powerful open-source processors to date.
• Major Chinese tech giants, including Alibaba, Huawei, and StarFive, are investing heavily in RISC-V chips for cloud computing, AI acceleration, and edge computing.

By promoting open-source chip development, China hopes to avoid the licensing restrictions that come with x86 and ARM, ensuring that no single country can cut off its access to essential semiconductor technologies.

Can RISC-V Compete with x86 and ARM?

Despite its potential, RISC-V is still catching up to its established rivals. While the architecture is gaining ground in IoT and embedded systems, it still faces hurdles in high-performance computing (HPC), AI workloads, and general-purpose computing.

Where RISC-V Excels

Unlike traditional architectures such as x86 and ARM, RISC-V provides a highly modular structure that allows chip designers to create processors explicitly tailored to applications like artificial intelligence, networking, or energy-efficient IoT devices. Another notable advantage is cost savings: since RISC-V is an open-source instruction set, developers avoid the expensive licensing fees typically associated with proprietary architectures, making it an appealing choice for large-scale chip production.

Additionally, the architecture’s streamlined design means many RISC-V processors excel in low-power environments—particularly beneficial for smart devices, edge computing scenarios, and AI inference workloads.

Where RISC-V Struggles

• Software Ecosystem: While Linux, Android, and various compilers now support RISC-V, the ecosystem is still less mature than x86 and ARM, requiring developers to optimize software for compatibility.
• Performance for General Computing: High-end RISC-V chips are not yet competitive with Intel’s Xeon, AMD’s EPYC, or Apple’s M-series chips for PC and server workloads.
• Adoption in Data Centers: While RISC-V is being tested in cloud environments, ARM-based servers (like Amazon’s Graviton and Alibaba’s Yitian) still dominate energy-efficient cloud computing.

However, China is rapidly addressing these challenges. With companies like Alibaba’s T-Head developing RISC-V server chips and CAS researchers optimizing AI workloads, the architecture is expected to close the performance gap within the next decade.

China’s RISC-V Collaborations and Global Reactions

As China accelerates its embrace of RISC-V technology, its ambitious push creates a ripple effect, prompting diverse reactions—from active global collaboration to heightened regulatory concerns.

China and Global Tech Giants Remain Collaborators

China’s rapid adoption of RISC-V technology has generated international collaboration and geopolitical unease. Even amid growing tensions with Western countries, major Chinese tech companies like Alibaba remain highly active within global RISC-V communities. Alibaba, notably, contributes significantly to the RISC-V International Foundation, working alongside industry leaders from various regions to improve and promote the open-source instruction set. This ongoing cooperation represents an uncommon example of international partnership at a time when competition and technological divides typically dominate the semiconductor landscape.

Europe Embraces RISC-V for Technological Autonomy

Europe has also recognized RISC-V as strategically vital to achieving technological sovereignty. The European Union recently introduced initiatives such as DARE (Digital Autonomy with RISC-V in Europe), which aims to create high-performance RISC-V processors tailored for advanced computing and AI workloads. European decision-makers see RISC-V as a critical pathway to reducing dependency on proprietary chip technologies dominated by the United States and the UK, underscoring the architecture’s global importance beyond Chinese ambitions.

U.S. Firms Explore RISC-V’s Potential

Even American tech giants are actively pursuing RISC-V. Companies like Qualcomm and Google have joined forces to develop wearable processors based on RISC-V, signaling strong industry confidence in its suitability for consumer devices. Major corporations like Meta, NVIDIA, and Intel have also started integrating RISC-V cores into their AI and data center hardware. RISC-V offers distinct advantages for these firms in terms of flexibility, cost efficiency, and the freedom to innovate without restrictive licensing agreements.

Rising U.S. Regulatory Concerns

China’s rapid push into RISC-V hasn’t gone unnoticed by U.S. regulators. Back in late 2023, American lawmakers began raising alarms about the possibility that China could leverage RISC-V’s open-source design to sidestep existing trade and technology sanctions. This sparked discussions about potentially putting export controls or restrictions in place around RISC-V partnerships. However, regulating an open-source technology that anyone can access is complicated, so, for now, RISC-V remains one of the few tech areas still seeing genuine global collaboration.

China’s Next Steps with RISC-V

Looking ahead, China’s commitment to RISC-V is set to deepen substantially, reshaping multiple technology sectors:

Chinese semiconductor firms are now actively building AI accelerators and edge-computing chips around RISC-V, aiming specifically at tasks like deep learning and inference. There’s even talk that government agencies and state-owned enterprises might soon require the use of RISC-V chips—something that would quickly boost adoption and help grow a robust local ecosystem.

As these chips continue to improve in performance, it’s increasingly possible we’ll see RISC-V processors appearing in Chinese cloud servers and data centers, which ARM and x86 have traditionally dominated. If this happens, the shift could be rapid, reshaping China’s semiconductor landscape.

Strategic Implications for the Semiconductor Industry

China’s multi-billion-dollar, government-backed investments into RISC-V indicate a strategic bet on open-source silicon as a foundation for semiconductor independence. Although RISC-V has yet to decisively match x86 and ARM in the high-performance computing sector, its rapid evolution suggests imminent widespread adoption across critical applications.

Regardless of geopolitical complexities, one thing is clear: the global semiconductor industry can no longer overlook the profound implications of China’s growing commitment to RISC-V.

A Global Shift in the Semiconductor Landscape

China’s embrace of RISC-V represents more than just a technological shift—it’s a geopolitical and economic strategy. By investing in open-source architectures, China aims to build a self-sufficient semiconductor ecosystem, free from Western restrictions.

While RISC-V still has a long way to go before challenging x86 and ARM in mainstream computing, its rapid adoption in AI, IoT, and embedded systems is undeniable. As more companies worldwide explore RISC-V, the architecture could become a game-changer for the semiconductor industry.

The key question now is: Will RISC-V remain an open, collaborative movement—or will rising tensions fragment its development? The answer will shape the future of global computing for years to come.