Trump Orders US Chip Design Software Firms to Stop Sales to China

The US administration under President Donald Trump has instructed semiconductor design software companies like Cadence, Synopsys, and Siemens EDA to stop selling their services to Chinese firms, as reported by the Financial Times. The US Commerce Department sent letters enforcing this export restriction, part of a broader review of tech exports to China. Synopsys denied receiving official notice but acknowledged market concerns. These companies’ software is crucial for designing advanced and basic processors, and China accounts for significant revenue portions—16% for Synopsys and 12% for Cadence. The move could significantly impact both software makers and their Chinese customers.