Lexar
| Company type | Brand |
|---|---|
| Industry | Flash memory, digital storage solutions |
| Founded | January 1, 1996 in San Jose, California, United States |
| Founder | Petro Estakhri, Mike Assar |
| Headquarters | San Jose , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | SD cards, CompactFlash cards, USB flash drives, card readers, solid-state drives, DRAM memory kits |
| Owner | Longsys |
Lexar International is a flash memory brand that originated in the United States and is currently produced by the Chinese firm Longsys. The Lexar trademark "JumpDrive" became widely recognized as a leading name for USB flash drives during their initial widespread use.
Formation and Growth (1996–2006)
Established in 1996 in San Jose, California, Lexar focused on digital storage solutions such as SD cards, CompactFlash cards, USB flash drives, card readers, and solid-state drives. Initially operating as a division within Cirrus Logic, Lexar leveraged its parent company's proficiency in ATA controller technology to develop proprietary flash memory controllers before becoming an independent entity. The company was founded by Petro Estakhri and Mike Assar.
In 2002, Lexar initiated a major patent infringement lawsuit against Toshiba concerning NAND flash technology. A jury awarded Lexar $465 million in damages in 2005; however, Toshiba appealed this verdict. Following Lexar’s acquisition by Micron Technology in 2006, Toshiba resolved the dispute by purchasing Lexar’s patents and associated rights for $288 million.
Micron Era (2006–2017)
Micron Technology acquired Lexar in 2006. By September 2007, Lexar had extended its partnership with Eastman Kodak Company to co-develop and distribute Kodak-branded flash memory products worldwide.
On June 26, 2017, Micron declared its intention to cease operations of the Lexar retail removable media storage segment and announced plans to sell either part or all of the business.
Acquisition by Longsys and Recent Developments (2017–present)
The Shenzhen-based flash memory manufacturer Longsys acquired the Lexar brand and trademark on August 31, 2017. Lexar made a market comeback in flash storage products in 2018.
In January 2019, Lexar introduced the industry’s first SD card with a capacity of 1 terabyte (TB). Later that year, in December, they showcased a prototype PCIe 4.0 SSD capable of 7.5 GB/s speeds, signaling their ambition to lead consumer SSD performance.
April 2020 saw the launch of the world’s smallest memory card (nCARD), incorporating Xtacking technology developed by Yangtze Memory Technology (YMTC). In June, Lexar expanded into the DRAM sector with seven DDR4-2666 memory kits designed for mainstream laptops and desktops. These kits targeted gamers and enthusiasts, with future plans including faster modules featuring heatsinks and RGB lighting.
In 2021, Lexar debuted the fastest CFexpress Type B memory card globally, tailored for professional filmmakers and content creators. That year, TrendForce ranked Lexar third among the Global Top 10 Module Makers for Channel Market SSDs in 2022. November marked Lexar’s entry into gaming storage with the release of the ARES DDR5 gaming memory line.
By 2023, through strategic collaboration with SK hynix, Lexar earned exclusive “Lexar Empowered By SK hynix” Gold Label certification and secured third place in TrendForce’s Top 10 SSD Module Makers’ Self-Branded Retail Market Share rankings.
In 2024, Lexar broadened its portable SSD offerings aimed at content creators and began sponsoring the League of Legends eSports team BLG. June featured the launch of the SL500 Portable SSD along with an expansion of its Professional SILVER Card series by adding three new SD 3.0 memory cards. Additionally, that month saw the introduction of the ARMOR storage lineup highlighted by the rugged ARMOR 700 Portable SSD engineered for harsh conditions; this product collection earned seven Red Dot Design Awards.
July witnessed Lexar raising over $1 million on Kickstarter for its Professional Go Portable SSD with Hub. In October, the company unveiled its pexar sub-brand focused on digital picture frames and partnered with DJI to present storage solutions at DJI’s flagship store in London.
December brought four new CFexpress 4.0 cards—including Type-B Diamond and GOLD series—and a six-bay docking station designed for professional creators.
In February 2025, Lexar launched the world’s first stainless-steel SD cards: ARMOR GOLD SDXC™ UHS-II and ARMOR SILVER PRO SDXC™ UHS-II. That same month, both the Lexar Go Portable SSD with Hub and Professional Workflow products received IFA Design Awards recognition.
USB FlashCard
USB FlashCard is a flash memory card format introduced by Lexar on December 13, 2004.
In contrast to other memory card types like SD, xD, and CompactFlash, the USB FlashCard essentially functions as a conventional USB flash drive featuring a customized USB Type A connector, while maintaining a thickness below 4.5 mm. This configuration allows direct connectivity to devices such as digital cameras or computers without the necessity of a separate card reader, thereby improving user convenience and expanding its potential applications.
Lexar released the USB FlashCard specifications freely and without royalties to promote adoption among other manufacturers of memory cards and portable electronics, aiming to strengthen its market presence and foster industry standardization.
The dimensions of the USB FlashCard are 31.75 mm × 12 mm × 4.5 mm, which is similar in overall size to SD cards (32 mm × 24 mm × 2.1 mm), although it features a slimmer width combined with increased thickness, striking a balance between compactness and USB compatibility.