SAMR opens antitrust probe into Qualcomm’s Autotalks acquisition, citing declaration failures
Investigation raises geopolitical and regulatory risk for US chipmakers in China
Probe could lead to fines, conditional remedies or forced divestments under Anti-Monopoly law
Adds to mounting Chinese scrutiny of foreign semiconductor M&A, increasing market uncertainty
China’s market regulator has opened an antitrust investigation into Qualcomm’s acquisition of Israeli vehicle-communications chipmaker Autotalks, Bloomberg reported.
The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) on Friday said it will examine whether Qualcomm violated China’s Anti-Monopoly Law by failing to properly declare aspects of the transaction, which Qualcomm completed in June. The regulator’s brief statement did not provide a timetable for the probe.
Geopolitical Backdrop
Analysts and diplomats reportedly say the SAMR move deepens an already tense regulatory backdrop between Beijing and Washington ahead of a scheduled meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping later this month.
Observers note Beijing has recently stepped up scrutiny of foreign tech deals and introduced other trade measures, making the probe part of a broader pattern of leverage and regulatory activism.
The Qualcomm inquiry echoes recent Chinese action in the semiconductor and networking space. SAMR in September also flagged Nvidia’s 2020 acquisition of Mellanox for alleged anti-competitive issues, a separate probe that has drawn international attention.
Together, the investigations add to uncertainty for U.S. technology firms that rely heavily on the Chinese market.
Deal Timeline
Qualcomm first announced plans to acquire Autotalks in 2023 and , after earlier regulatory hurdles and a previously abandoned bid in 2024 , completed a renewed acquisition in June 2025 to strengthen its vehicle-to-everything (V2X) product roadmap. SAMR’s probe cites concerns that Qualcomm did not lawfully declare the relevant concentration of operators when reporting the deal.
Legal experts say the probe could lead to fines, conditional remedies or, in extreme cases, divestment requirements, outcomes that would be disruptive but remain speculative at this stage.
The inquiry also underscores the strategic risk for chipmakers whose products and supply chains span geopolitical fault lines: even routine M&A can draw intense scrutiny when national security, critical infrastructure and cross-border data flows are implicated.
