Xiaomi: Who owns the company and what brands are in its ecosystem?

Why Xiaomi’s ownership is important to users

When you buy a Xiaomi smartphone, a Mi Band smartwatch, or a Mi Robot Vacuum robot vacuum cleaner, you become part of a huge gadget ecosystem. But few people wonder who actually owns the brand? The answer to this question helps to understand why Xiaomi products are so affordable, how the company manages quality, and why some models are sold only in China.

In 2026, Xiaomi is not just a smartphone maker, but a holding company with dozens of sub-brands, sub-brands and partnerships, from Redmi and POCO to Black Shark and Mijia, all of which are somehow connected to the parent company. But how exactly is this structure structure structured? Who is behind the key decisions? And why some brands (like POCO) are separating and returning to Xiaomi? Let's take it one step at a time.

It’s important to understand that the company’s owners have a direct impact on its strategy, such as close ties to the Chinese government explaining why some Xiaomi models are not certified for sale in the US, and partnering with Qualcomm and MediaTek determines which processors will be used in new smartphones. If you plan to buy Xiaomi equipment for years to come, knowing these nuances will help avoid disappointment.

Who owns Xiaomi: Shareholder structure and key figures

Officially, Xiaomi Corporation is a publicly traded company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX: 1810), but like many Chinese giants, real management is concentrated in the hands of a narrow circle of people.

• 👤 Lei Jun is the founder and CEO, proprietor ~31% of the shares (through trust funds and personal assets) are the key to the company’s strategy, including entering new markets and developing the ecosystem.
• 🏛️ Chinese state funds, through companies like China Mobile and China Investment Corporation, control the 12-15% This explains Xiaomi’s lobbying in government circles.
• 💼 Institutional Investors - Tencent (3-5%), Qualcomm (through venture capital funds) and international funds such as BlackRock and Vanguard.
• 📈 Minority shareholders – private investors and employees of the company (about 10% through options).

Interestingly, even though Xiaomi is positioning itself as a “global company,” more than 60 percent of its revenue still comes from China, making it dependent on domestic politics, sometimes leading to conflicts with Western regulators (such as a ban on U.S. shipments in 2021).

Lei Jun not only runs Xiaomi, but also invests heavily in other technologies through his Shunwei Capital fund, including UCWeb (absorbed by Alibaba), Lime (an electric scooter rental service), and even Russia’s Yandex.Taxi (through joint funds), which creates additional links between the ecosystems of different companies.

⚠️ Note: If you see news that Xiaomi has bought X, please specify whether it is a direct ownership or partnership through Lei Jun’s foundations. For example, Huami (Amazfit’s maker) is formally independent but is closely linked to Xiaomi through joint patent agreements.

Xiaomi Subsidiaries: Who is in the Ecosystem (Full List 2026)

Xiaomi's ecosystem is built on the "matryoshka" principle: sub-brands, subsidiaries and partner projects exist under the main brand, and here is the current structure for 2026:

A special case is the POCO brand, which was spun off as an independent company in 2020, but re-entered Xiaomi in 2022 as a “stand-alone unit,” which means that POCO has its own development team but uses Xiaomi’s logistics and production facilities. For example, the POCO F6 Pro is technically identical to the Redmi K70, but with different software and marketing.

Another nuance: some brands that seem to be “subsidiaries” are actually OEM-For example, the Mi Notebook is manufactured by Tongfang (the same company that makes laptops for Dell and the other laptops for Dell). HP), Mi TVs are the ones TV mill TCL Xiaomi is responsible for design, firmware and marketing.

Redmi vs. POCO vs. Xiaomi: How to differentiate brands and not overpay

One of the most common questions users ask is, “What’s the difference between Redmi and POCO, and why do they sell almost the same phones?”

• 📱 Xiaomi – flagship models with top-end processors (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3), premium materials (ceramics, titanium) and advanced cameras (co-development with Leica). ₽.

The Redmi Note 13 Pro is a good example.+ and POCO X6 Pro is built on a single platform (Dimensity) 8300-Ultra), but POCO The best camera is higher than the screen frequency (144 Hz vs 120 Hz), and Redmi has a better camera (200 MP vs 64 MP — POCO.

Lifehack: Before buying, check the model number of the device on the site mi.com/verify. For example, Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G For China and the global version, different processors (!) can have different processors (!). 7200 Ultra and international - Snapdragon 7s Gen 2.

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If you see a smartphone Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO at a suspiciously low price (at least at a low price) 30-40% Cheaper market, check it out. IMEI These devices are often designed for the domestic market of China and may not support Google Services or local services. LTE-ranges.

Hidden connections: how Xiaomi interacts with other giants

Xiaomi has never positioned itself as an isolated company, but rather actively engages with competitors, suppliers, and even former employees.

1. Partnership with Qualcomm: Xiaomi is part of the Snapdragon Insiders program, giving it early access to new chips. For example, Xiaomi 13 became the first smartphone with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in 2022.

One of the most controversial issues is Xiaomi’s relationship with Apple: In 2021, Apple sued Xiaomi for copying the iPad design in the Mi Pad 5. However, the companies later settled the conflict, and today Xiaomi even uses Apple chips (such as U1 for Ultra Wideband) in its flagships.

Another little-known detail: Xiaomi is working closely with Google on the Android One program, for example, the Mi A3 and POCO M4 Pro were released with “pure” Android without the MIUI shell, which was a condition for Xiaomi to return to the US market after the ban in 2021.

Xiaomi Myths: What’s True and What’s Not

There are a lot of rumors around Xiaomi, from "Chinese surveillance" to "imminent bankruptcy."

⚠️ Note: If you are buying Xiaomi for use outside of China, be sure to check regional firmware, CN ROM) Google does not have Google Services and may collect data for the benefit of Chinese regulators (under Chinese law).

• 🔍 "Xiaomi is spying on users" — partly true. In 2020, Forbes researchers discovered that the Mi Browser browser collects data about visited sites even in incognito mode. After the scandal, Xiaomi released a patch, but the risks remain for devices with a high-end user base. CN ROM.
• 💰 "Xiaomi sells devices at a loss, it's not true. It does keep prices low, but it compensates for that by selling accessories, advertising in the company. MIUI According to the report for 2023, Xiaomi’s net profit was made up of $3.4 billion.
• 📵 "Xiaomi will soon overtake Samsung's unlikely.According to Counterpoint, Xiaomi's share of the global smartphone market in 2026 is 14%, while Samsung's is 20%.The main obstacle: weak positions in North America and Europe due to political risks.
• 🔋 "Xiaomi batteries explode" — statistically incorrect. According to the Recall Index, the frequency of battery incidents in Xiaomi is lower than that of Samsung (think Galaxy Note 7).However, in 2022, the Redmi Note 10 was recalled due to a battery defect (affecting 0.01% of devices).

Another common myth is that “Xiaomi is the Chinese equivalent of Apple,” and the business models are actually fundamentally different: Apple makes on high margins (up to 40% of each iPhone), and Xiaomi makes on scale and ecosystem, for example, the average markup on a Xiaomi smartphone is 5-10%, but the company sells them in the millions, offsetting the low profits by selling smart light bulbs, robot vacuum cleaners and subscriptions.

How to authenticate Xiaomi devices: Instruction 2026

Xiaomi’s fake gadget market is growing: according to the Customs Administration of China, more than 500,000 fake Mi Band and Redmi smartphones were seized in 2023.

Fake Xiaomis often come with custom firmware that mimics MIUI. To test the originality:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.
2. Click 5 times on the line with the version and the Debug menu will open.
3. Select Check Update Package – the system will show the hash of the current firmware.
4. Compare it to the official hash on miuidownload.com.

If the hashes don’t match, you’re either a fake or a device with unofficial firmware, which can lead to a loss of warranty and security issues (for example, custom firmware often lacks patches for vulnerabilities).

For smart devices (such as Mi Band or Mi Robot Vacuum), use the Mi Home app:

1. Open the Mi Home and add a new device.
2. If the binding is without errors, the device is original.
3. If the message “Device is not supported” appears, you have a clone.

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Even if the device is original, but not purchased from an official dealer (for example, on AliExpress), Xiaomi warranty does not apply to it, except for purchases in authorized stores (the list is available on the website mi.com).

Xiaomi’s Future: Electric Cars, AI and Global Expansion

In 2026, Xiaomi announced three key areas of growth:

1. Electric: The first Xiaomi SU7 sedan went on sale in China in March 2026.The car is equipped with a battery from CATL (800 km of range) and the Xiaomi Pilot autonomous driving system (level 3). Price starts from $ 25,000 - cheaper than the Tesla Model 3 by 20%.
2. Artificial intelligence: Xiaomi is investing in developing its own LLM (large language model) for integration into MIUI 15. The first features (Xiao AI voice assistant with support for generative AI) will appear in 2026.
3. Global expansion: The company plans to bring sales back to the U.S. through a partnership with AT&T and Verizon (after sanctions were lifted in 2023), and announced that it will enter the EV market in Europe by 2026.

Fun fact: Xiaomi is already testing its own processors. In 2023, the company filed a patent for the Xiaomi Surge C3 chip (8-core, 4nm), which could debut in the Xiaomi 15, which will reduce dependence on Qualcomm and MediaTek.

However, there are risks:

• 📉 In the event of aggravation of relations between the US and China, Xiaomi may again be included in the “black list” (as in 2021).
• 🔋 Tech: Competition with Huawei and Oppo in the market of foldable smartphones (foldables) may weaken the position of Xiaomi.
• 🚗 Financial: Electric car project requires huge investment: According to Bloomberg, Xiaomi spent $$10 billion in development SU7 3 years.

For users, this means that in the next 2-3 years we should expect:

• 📱 Closer integration of Xiaomi smartphones with electric vehicles (e.g. using a phone instead of a key).
• 🤖 Expanding AI functions in MIUI (Automatic photo editing, voice commands for a smart home).
• 🌍 New regional firmware (e.g., a special version for India with support for local payment systems).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi and its brands