On March 17, 2025, China's leading EDA software company, Empyrean Technology, announced plans to acquire a majority stake in Shanghai-based Xpeedic Technology, a provider of EDA and system-in-package (SiP) design solutions. The deal, structured through a mix of stock issuance and cash payment, signals a major consolidation move in China's EDA sector.
Empyrean Technology halted trading on its shares immediately after the announcement and expects to release full transaction details within 10 trading days, per regulatory requirements.
According to ICsmart and Sina, citing China Business Journal, the acquisition aligns with a broader wave of semiconductor M&A in China. Recently, Naura Technology Group moved to acquire Kingsemi Co., Ltd., while Yangjie Electronic Technology pursued a takeover of Betterfuse, highlighting the accelerating consolidation trend in China's semiconductor ecosystem.
Xpeedic: a growing EDA powerhouse
Founded in 2019, Xpeedic specializes in EDA software, emphasizing simulation-driven design under the System Technology Co-Optimization (STCO) framework. Its expertise extends across signal integrity (SI), power integrity (PI), electromagnetic (EM) analysis, thermal effects, and stress simulation, delivering comprehensive EDA solutions for chips, advanced packaging, PCB board-level design, and full system integration.
Xpeedic's EDA tools are widely deployed across 5G networks, smartphones, IoT devices, AI applications, and data centers, establishing the company as a key player in China's semiconductor design landscape.
Xpeedic's largest shareholder currently holds a direct 26.03% stake, with an aggregate controlling interest of 31.51% through indirect holdings, based on publicly available corporate filings.
One month before the acquisition announcement, Xpeedic had completed its IPO counseling with China's securities regulator (CSRC) in preparation for a listing on the STAR Market. The unexpected takeover bid by Empyrean Technology has since drawn significant industry attention.
Empyrean Technology's acquisition involves an initial agreement with eight key shareholders. The combined stake of the eight entities involved in the transaction amounts to 44.12% of Xpeedic's total equity. A successful acquisition would position Empyrean Technology as the controlling shareholder, strengthening its leadership in China's domestic EDA market and bolstering its competitiveness against global EDA giants.
Challenges and the need for consolidation
Despite China's booming EDA industry, most domestic firms remain fragmented, specializing in point tools rather than full-process EDA solutions.
Currently, Empyrean Technology is the only Chinese firm offering a full-process EDA toolchain for analog circuit design. Other domestic players, including Primarius Technologies, began with niche services such as device modeling and circuit simulation before expanding into memory and analog chip design. Meanwhile, X-EPIC has carved out a market in digital verification.
Experts emphasize that for China to compete globally in EDA, the industry must reduce fragmentation and prioritize strategic mergers and acquisitions (M&A) among leading firms.
The semiconductor M&A wave
Guang-yong An, an expert at the All-China Mergers and Acquisitions Association (CMAA), describes the semiconductor sector as highly capital- and technology-intensive, requiring significant economies of scale. He states, "Empyrean Technology's acquisition of Xpeedic is a pivotal moment in China's semiconductor M&A surge, driven by industrial transformation, technological self-reliance, and intensifying global competition."
Reports from East Money, Yicai Global, and Dahecube highlight a surge in semiconductor M&A activity across China in 2025, including major deals such as:
● Shanghai New Vision Microelectronics acquiring Aixiesheng Technology
● TCL Technology acquiring Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT)
● Naura Technology Group acquiring Kingsemi
● Yangjie Electronic Technology acquiring Betterfuse
Peng Wang, Associate Researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, attributes the rise in M&A activity to the pressing need for industry consolidation and technological advancement. He notes, "While large corporations scale up through acquisitions, smaller firms must innovate to stay competitive."
Strategic implications beyond borders
Analysts emphasize that this acquisition extends beyond EDA industry consolidation, reflecting China's broader efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in semiconductor design and manufacturing.
Guobin Zhang, founder of the semiconductor industry platform Eetrend.com, states, "The EDA industry has steep technological barriers, with US firms maintaining a dominant position. For Chinese EDA companies to compete globally, strategic acquisitions are essential."
A CCID Consulting researcher highlights the growing role of EDA software as a chokepoint in China's semiconductor strategy, particularly amid heightened US-China tech tensions. As Synopsys and Cadence—the two largest US EDA firms—tighten export controls on advanced chip design tools, China's domestic EDA capabilities are becoming increasingly critical.
Bloomberg notes that China has ramped up investment in EDA, channeling capital through state-backed initiatives like the China National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund ("Big Fund") to strengthen domestic innovation. The Empyrean-Xpeedic deal aligns with this broader national strategy to enhance semiconductor design self-sufficiency.
With China's EDA industry undergoing rapid consolidation, Empyrean Technology's acquisition of Xpeedic represents a key milestone in bolstering the country's domestic semiconductor design ecosystem.
Amid sustained government support, increased capital inflows, and a wave of industry M&A, China's EDA sector is poised to scale its market presence and strengthen its global standing.
CMAA's An stated that the development was more than just an industry shift, describing it as a crucial step for China to maintain its technological leadership and protect its semiconductor supply chain amid intensifying global competition.
Article edited by Jerry Chen
