Ampere Computing, a datacenter CPU designer backed by Oracle, is considering a sale as it faces increasing competition and uncertain prospects for an initial public offering (IPO). The company is weighing its strategic options and working with a financial adviser to explore a potential buyout,

The chip also has other selling points. Ampere has added 128 PCIe lanes that can link up to 32 graphics cards, flash storage systems and other devices to the AmpereOne. A built-in encryption feature shields the memory of the server in which the processor is installed from hacking attempts.

Valued at $8bn in a 2021 SoftBank proposal, Ampere is open to talks with larger industry players about a potential transaction.