CNBC AI News, June 29. China’s semiconductor powerhouse, UNISOC (Shanghai) Technologies Co., Ltd., has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) to list on Shanghai’s STAR Market. The company completed its IPO tutoring filing with the Shanghai Securities Regulatory Bureau on June 27th, signaling a significant step towards becoming a publicly traded entity.
Should this endeavor proceed smoothly, UNISOC is poised to claim the title of the first publicly listed domestic smartphone chip designer in China – a major milestone for the nation’s burgeoning tech industry.
The company has strategically bolstered its financial standing, successfully completing two rounds of equity financing by the end of 2024. These rounds, raising RMB 4 billion and nearly RMB 2 billion respectively, are estimated to have valued UNISOC at approximately RMB 70 billion.
Established on August 26, 2013, UNISOC has rapidly ascended to become a leading integrated circuit design enterprise in China. Its technological prowess spans the entire communication spectrum, encompassing 2G/3G/4G/5G/6G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RedCap, TV FM, and satellite communications. This comprehensive expertise finds broad application across smartphones, the Internet of Things (IoT), automotive electronics, and smart displays.
Notably, UNISOC stands as one of only two mainland Chinese companies, alongside Huawei, to possess fully self-developed 2G/3G/4G/5G baseband technologies. This capability positions UNISOC on par with global giants like Qualcomm, Apple, Samsung, and MediaTek.
UNISOC’s market reach is extensive, with its products tested and deployed in over 140 countries and regions worldwide, garnering certifications from more than 270 operators globally.
As of March 2025, UNISOC had conducted 5G field tests in 116 countries and regions. The company has shipped over a hundred models of 5G smartphones to 85 countries, including Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, securing certifications from 56 operators.
Beyond its core baseband technology, UNISOC offers a comprehensive suite of high-performance System-on-Chip (SoC) processors, RF chips, RF front-ends, power management ICs, audio processing chips, wireless connectivity solutions, and multimedia chips, among others.
The company boasts a robust client base of over 500 brands, including industry leaders like Honor, Xiaomi, realme, Vivo, Samsung, Motorola, Hisense, ZTE, JD.com, UnionPay, and Gree.
UNISOC’s commitment to innovation is underscored by its numerous national science and technology progress awards, including one special honor and two first-place awards. The company holds over 11,000 patents, with key intellectual property in 3G/4G/5G, dual-SIM dual-standby, and multi-mode technologies.
Data reveals a significant market presence, with UNISOC shipping over 1.6 billion chip units in 2024, experiencing an impressive 82% year-over-year growth in 5G chip sales.
According to Counterpoint Research, in the first quarter of 2025, MediaTek led the global mobile SoC processor market with a 36% share, followed by Qualcomm at 28% and Apple at 17%. UNISOC secured the fourth position with a 10% market share, demonstrating its growing influence.
In 2024, UNISOC reported revenues of RMB 14.5 billion, an approximately 11% increase from the previous year. This performance brings the company close to the revenue figures of MPS, the tenth-largest IC design company globally, which reported $2.207 billion.
UNISOC has set ambitious targets for the future, aiming to achieve breakeven in 2025. By 2030, the company aspires to become a world-class chip design enterprise, marked by leading global revenue scale, robust profitability, prominent core competitiveness, and significant influence in industrial ecosystems.
Currently, UNISOC employs over 5,000 individuals, with a strong focus on research and development, as R&D personnel constitute more than 85% of its workforce.
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