Baidu's AI chip unit Kunlunxin files for Hong Kong IPO
Kunlunxin, Baidu's AI chip arm, just quietly filed to go public in Hong Kong.
The paperwork went in on January 1, and if all goes to plan, the listing will wrap up by early 2027.
This is a big step as Baidu moves to spin Kunlunxin off as a separately listed subsidiary.
By the numbers: funding and IPO timeline
Kunlunxin recently pulled in over 2 billion yuan (about $286 million) from investors, giving it a valuation close to $3 billion.
The company is aiming for an IPO in the first quarter of 2026.
Even after going public, Kunlunxin is expected to remain a subsidiary of Baidu.
What does Kunlunxin actually do?
Started inside Baidu back in 2012 and spun out as its own entity in 2021, Kunlunxin builds high-performance data center chips—think processors powering AI tasks for Baidu and now other clients too.
News of the IPO filing gave Baidu's stock a nice bump, jumping nearly 8%.