Qualcomm Faces Antitrust Probe in China Over Autotalks Acquisition

Qualcomm's stock (QCOM) dipped after China's State Administration for Market Regulation launched an antitrust investigation into its acquisition of Israeli chip designer Autotalks. The probe focuses on potential violations of China's antitrust laws, specifically whether Qualcomm failed to properly disclose certain transaction details.

The MOVE signals Beijing's escalating scrutiny of U.S. tech firms amid ongoing trade tensions and the global race for AI dominance. Qualcomm, a key supplier to Chinese smartphone makers like Xiaomi, completed the Autotalks deal in June to bolster its vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication technology for autonomous driving systems.

No immediate comment was available from Qualcomm. The investigation adds to growing regulatory pressures facing Western technology companies operating in China's strategically important semiconductor and automotive sectors.