Sanctions and Strategy The release comes at a critical time. US-imposed sanctions prevent Chinese companies from accessing advanced HBM versions, including HBM2e, HBM3, and HBM4, cutting them off from global leaders such as SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics, and Micron Technology. These restrictions have hampered domestic chip development and forced firms like Huawei to explore software-based alternatives to close performance gaps. While experts note that UCM cannot fully replace cutting-edge HBM hardware, it demonstrates how Chinese technology companies are leveraging software innovation to mitigate hardware shortages. The growing demand for HBM chips, projected to nearly double global revenues by 2025 and reach US$98 billion by 2030, further underscores the urgency of such solutions.