In today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) plays a key role in various industries, providing efficient and reliable solutions for asset management, inventory management, and access control. The heart of any RFID system is the RFID chip, which is responsible for encoding and transmitting data wirelessly. Therefore, understanding the top RFID chip manufacturers is crucial for implementing RFID solutions.
In this blog, we will explore the top 5 RFID chip manufacturers, highlighting their diverse RFID chips, applications, and unique features.
Texas Instruments (TI)
Texas Instruments (TI) is a very trustworthy brand in the RFID industry. It provides RFID chips in the TI-RFid series. The chips operate at LF (125-134 kHz) and HF (13.56 MHz). Commonly used in areas such as automotive, asset tracking, and livestock management. The TI-RFid series features high sensitivity, rugged design, and customizable solutions to meet the specific needs of different businesses.
Alien Technology
Alien Technology is very professional in UHF (Ultra High Frequency) RFID technology and mainly provides Higgs series RFID chips. Alien’s chips operate in the UHF frequency range (860-960 MHz), making them ideal for supply chain management, asset tracking, and retail inventory applications. Alien’s RFID chips feature features such as long read range, support for high-speed inventory scanning and advanced encryption algorithms. The Alien Higgs series of chips ensures seamless, secure data transmission in demanding environments.
STMicroelectronics
STMicroelectronics offers a variety of RFID chips in the ST25 series, supporting HF (13.56 MHz) and UHF (860-960 MHz) frequencies. The characteristics of these chips are suitable for a variety of applications such as industrial automation, electronic toll collection, and NFC devices. STMicroelectronics’ RFID chips offer reliable performance and flexibility in challenging environments with features such as dual-band support, low power consumption, and enhanced security measures.
Impinj Inc.
Impinj Inc. is a leader in the development of RAIN RFID solutions. Impinj’s chips operate at UHF frequency (860-960 MHz). Its products are widely used in various fields such as retail, logistics, healthcare, and manufacturing, providing customers with Innovative solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT) and RFID technology. Impinj’s range of RFID chips includes:
（1）Impinj® M800 series
Impinj® M830 and M850 tag chips are advanced next-generation RAIN RFID tag chips. These chips’ low power consumption and unparalleled readability enable businesses to use a single small tag on a variety of items – clothing, shoes, home furnishings, and other general merchandise – to support efficient global operations. Its main features can be found in the table below:
| Key features | M830 | M850 |
| Protocol | RAIN® RFID / ISO 18000-63 and EPCglobal Gen2v2 compliant | |
| Operating frequency | 860-960 MHz | |
| EPC memory | 128bytes | 96bytes |
| User memory | / | 32bytes |
| Read sensitivity (dBm) | -25.5 | |
| Access/Kill password | Shared | |
| Omnidirectional reading | Impinj® Core3D Antenna™ | |
| Impinj Protected Mode | Yes | |
| GS1 EPCglobal Gen2 Untraceable / Short-range | Yes | |
（2）Impinj® M700 series
Impinj® M730, M750, M770, and M775 RAIN RFID tag chips provide high performance, rapid inventory capabilities, and advanced functionality that can be attached or embedded into virtually any item, making them ideal for retail and supply chain and logistics applications.
Impinj® M700 series tag chips with expanded memory, such as the Impinj® M780 and M781 RAIN RFID tag chips offer large memory capacity while delivering the same high performance and functionality as the Impinj M700 series. These tag chips are ideal for industries such as pharmaceutical, food, automotive, or any application that requires the storage of extended item attributes such as batch/batch number, date, net weight, or use-by date.
| Key features | M730 | M750 | M770 | M775 | M780 | M781 |
| Protocol | RAIN® RFID / ISO 18000-63 and EPCglobal Gen2v2 compliant | |||||
| Operating frequency | 860-960 MHz | |||||
| EPC memory | 128 | 96 | 128 | 128 | 496 | 128 |
| User memory | 0 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 128 | 512 |
| Read sensitivity (dBm) | -24 | -24 | -24 | -24 | -23.5 | -23.5 |
| Access/Kill password | shared | |||||
| Omnidirectional reading | Impinj® Core3D Antenna™ | |||||
| Impinj Protected Mode | Yes | |||||
| GS1 EPCglobal Gen2 Authenticate | no | |||||
（3）Impinj Monza® R6 series
Impinj Monza® R6 RAIN RFID tag chips deliver reliable performance in nearly all RAIN RFID applications, from retail to healthcare and hospitality to supply chain and logistics. These tag chips introduce three patented features to improve performance and tag reliability: AutoTune adaptive RF tuning, Integra memory diagnostics, and Enduro pads.
| Key features | Monza® R6 | Monza® R6-P |
| Protocol | RAIN RFID / ISO 18000-63 and EPCglobal Gen2v2 compliant | |
| Operating frequency | 860-960 MHz | |
| EPC memory | 96 bits | 96 / 128 bits |
| User memory | None | 64 / 32 bits |
| Read sensitivity (dBm) | -22 | -22 |
| Write sensitivity (dBm) | -17 | -17 |
| Die size (µm) | 464.1 x 400 | 464.1 x 442 |
| Tag data protection features | None | Access/Kill Short-range mode |
（4）Impinj Monza® 4 series
The Monza® 4 series is recognized in the industry as the most reliable, consistent, flexible, and fully UHF Gen 2 compliant tag chips. The Monza 4 series offers multiple models to suit a variety of applications, including unique RFID privacy, tag orientation insensitivity, competitive and consistent read/write performance, and memory options optimized for the manufacturing and supply chain industries.
| Key features | Monza® 4QT | Monza® 4D | Monza® 4E |
| Protocol | RAIN RFID / ISO 18000-63 and EPCglobal Gen2v2 compliant | ||
| Operating frequency | 860-960 MHz | ||
| EPC memory | 128 bits | 128 bits | 496 bits |
| User memory | 512 bits | 32 bits | 128 bits |
| Read sensitivity (dBm) | -19.5 | ||
| Write sensitivity (dBm) | -16.7 | ||
| Die size (µm) | 590 x 590 | / | / |
| Tag data protection features | QT technology Access/Kill Short-range mode | Access/Kill Password, TagFocus™ Mode | Access/Kill Password, TagFocus™ Mode |
（5）Impinj Monza® X-8K
Impinj Monza® X-8K tag chips provide embedded RAIN RFID functionality in electronic systems. They are commonly used in passive equipment management, smart fleet management, cold chain tracking and IoT sensor applications. The Impinj Monza X-8K tag chip features large memory, multi-mode communication capabilities, patented tag data protection, and battery-assisted power mode.
| Key features | Monza® X-8K |
| Protocol | RAIN RFID / ISO 18000-63 and EPCglobal Gen2v2 compliant |
| Operating frequency | 860-960 MHz |
| EPC memory | 128 bits |
| User memory | 8,192bits |
| Read sensitivity (dBm) | -19.1/-26.1BAP |
| Write sensitivity (dBm) | -14.1/-26.1BAP |
| Die size (mm) | 2.0×2.0×0.35 |
| Tag data protection features | QT technology Access/Kill |
NXP® Semiconductors
NXP® Semiconductors is a leading innovator in the RFID industry, offering a comprehensive range of RFID chip solutions across multiple frequency bands. Their lineup includes the widely acclaimed NTAG, UCODE, and ICODE series, operating across LF (low frequency), HF (high frequency), and UHF (ultra-high frequency) frequencies. Known for their high data transfer rates, secure authentication mechanisms, and robust performance, NXP’s RFID chips provide businesses with reliable and efficient RFID solutions.
（1）HITAG® series (LF)
HITAG® products support the low-frequency (LF) RFID market – delivering high reliability, robust performance, and secure data transmission. HITAG transponder ICs operate in the frequency range of 100 to 150 kHz, providing the advantage of operating in harsh environments.
| Key features | HITAG® 1 | HITAG® 2 | HITAG® S | HITAG® μ |
| Protocol | HITAG 1 | HITAG 2 ISO 11784/85 | ISO 11784/85 | ISO 11784/85 ISO 14223 |
| Total Memory Size(bits) | 2048 | 256 | 256 – 2048 | 512 – 1760 |
| Operating frequency | 125Khz-134.2Khz | |||
| Unique ID Number | 32 bit | 32 bit | 48 bit | 48 bit |
| Applications | Logistics Tracking | Livestock Management | Livestock Management | Livestock Management |
（2）ICODE® series(HF)
The NXP ICODE® portfolio delivers strong RF performance and a range of valuable features, including advanced memory and privacy protection. ICODE is also great for ultra-small products. As a result, the NXP ICODE portfolio supports versatile, cross-scope applications across manufacturing, supply, and usage chains and addresses the needs of multiple markets including industrial, healthcare, consumer goods, gaming, and libraries.
| Key features | ICODE® 3 and ICODE® 3 TagTamper | ICODE® DNA | ICODE® SLIX2 | ICODE® SLIX | ICODE® SLIX-L | ICODE® SLIX-S |
| Protocol | ISO/IEC 15693, ISO18000-3M1, NFC Forum T5T | |||||
| Operating frequency | 13.56MHz | |||||
| User memory [bit] | 2400 | 2016 | 2528 | 896 | 256 | 1280 |
| EAS protection | 32-bit password | AES – 128 bit | 32-bit password | 32-bit password | 32-bit password | 32-bit password |
| AFI protection | 32-bit password | AES-128 bit | AES-128 bit | |||
| Memory Protection | 32-bit password | AES-128 bit | AES-128 bit | |||
（3）MIFARE Ultralight® series(HF)
MIFARE Ultralight® IC complies with ISO/IEC 14443 Type-A specifications. It is designed to offer a fitting RFID tag solution for high-volume applications at a lower-cost. MIFARE Ultralight® is a suitable contactless replacement for event ticketing, public transport, etc.
| Key features | MIFARE Ultralight® EV1 | MIFARE Ultralight® AES | MIFARE Ultralight® C |
| Protocol | ISO/IEC14443 Type A | ||
| Operating frequency | 13.56MHz | ||
| Data Transfer | 106 kbit/s | 106 kbit/s | 106 kbit/s |
| UID Type | 7 Byte | 7 Byte | |
| Operating distance | Up to 100mm | up to 10cm | Up to 100mm |
| EEPROM Memory | 640-bit or 1312-bit, organized in 20 or 41 pages with 4 bytes per page | 4 kB, organized in 32 sectors of 4 blocks and 8 sectors of 16 blocks (one block consists of 16 byte) | 144-byte |
| Anti-Collision | yes | ||
| Write Endurance | 100000 | ||
| Data Retention | 10 years | ||
（4）MIFARE DESFire® series(HF)
The series is ideal for solution developers and system operators building reliable, interoperable and scalable contactless solutions. MIFARE DESFire products can be seamlessly integrated into mobility scenarios and support multi-application smart card solutions in identity, access control, loyalty, and micropayment applications as well as transport ticketing installations.
| Key features | MIFARE® DESFire EV3 | MIFARE® DESFire Light |
| Protocol | ISO/IEC14443 Type A, NFC Forum Tag Type 4 | |
| Operating frequency | 13.56MHz | |
| Data Transfer | 106 kbit/s,212 kbit/s, 424 kbit/s,848 kbit/s | |
| UID Type | 7 Byte UID or 4Byte RID | |
| EEPROM Memory | 2 kB, 4 kB, 8 kB | 640 bytes user memory, equivalent to MIFARE Classic 1kB product |
| Operating Distance | Up to 100mm | |
| Input Capacitance | 17pF / 70pF | |
| Anti-Collision | yes | |
| Write Endurance | 100000 | 200000 |
| Data Retention | 25 years | 10 years |
（5）MIFARE Classic® series(HF)
MIFARE Classic® EV1 represents the highest level of development of this product range and surpasses all previous versions. Features excellent ESD robustness for easy handling of ICs during inlay and card manufacturing processes, and efficient RF performance for optimized transactions – allowing for more flexible antenna designs. This range is designed for applications such as access control, corporate ID cards, transportation, or stadium ticketing. It meets a wide range of different application needs with its reliability and relatively low cost.
| Key features | MIFARE Classic® EV1 1K | MIFARE Classic® EV1 4K |
| Protocol | ISO/IEC14443 Type A | |
| Operating frequency | 13.56MHz | |
| Data Transfer | 106 kbit/s | |
| UID Type | 4 Byte NUID, 7 Byte UID | |
| EEPROM Memory | 4 kB, organized in 32 sectors of 4 blocks and 8 sectors of 16 blocks (one block consists of 16 bytes) | 4 kB, organized in 32 sectors of 4 blocks and 8 sectors of 16 blocks (one block consists of 16 byte) |
| Operating Distance | Up to 100mm (depending on antenna geometry) | |
| Anti-Collision | yes | |
| Write Endurance | 200000 | 100000 |
| Data Retention | 10 years | |
（6）NTAG® series (NFC)
The NTAG® series is fully compliant with ISO14443A and NFC Forum tag type 2 and 4 specifications, ensuring universal interoperability with NFC devices and operating with or without an app. NTAG has advanced features such as 7-byte UID, a range of memory sizes, raw signatures, static or dynamic memory protection, and AES-128 encryption for secure authentication schemes. NTAG chips are widely used in product authentication, smart packaging, advanced anti-counterfeiting technology, and ensuring supply chain traceability and authorized data access.
| Key features | NTAG® 424 DNA TagTamper | NTAG® 424 DNA | NTAG® 213 TagTamper | NTAG® 213/215/216 |
| Protocol | ISO/IEC 14443A 1-4, NFC Forum T4T | ISO/IEC 14443A 1-3, NFC Forum T2T | ||
| Operating frequency | 13.56MHz | |||
| Data transfer | 848 Kbits/s | 106 kbit/s | ||
| User Memory(Byte) | 416 (incl. 128B secure data file) | 144 | 144 / 504 / 888 | |
| Data Retention [Years] | 50 | 10 | ||
| Write Endurance [Cycles] | 200,000 | 100,000 | ||
| Message/Tag Authentication | AES – 128-bit key (2) | / | ||
| Memory Access Protection | AES – 128-bit key (3) | 32bit password | ||
| Input capacitance | 50 pF | |||
（7）UCODE® series(UHF)
UCODE® 7m is a derivative of UCODE® 7 and features 32-bit user memory on top of UCODE® 7. UCODE® 7 is particularly suitable for inventory management applications such as retail and fashion, with RF performance suitable for any given form factor, enabling long-range reading and rapid inventory of dense RFID tag populations.
| Key features | UCODE® 7 | UCODE® 7M |
| Protocol | EPC Gen2 v2.0, ISO18000-6C | |
| Operating frequency | 860-960 MHz | |
| TID Type | 96-bit Unique Tag Identifier | |
| EPC Memory | Up to 128-bit | |
| Read sensitivity | -21 dBm | |
| Write sensitivity | -16 dBm | |
| Parallel encoding mode | 100 items in 60ms | |
| Encoding speed | 16 bits per millisecond | |
| Operating frequency | 860-960 MHz | |
| Write Endurance | 100000 | |
| Data Retention | 20 years | |
UCODE® 8/8m is particularly suitable for inventory management applications such as retail and fashion. Its proven RF performance for any given form factor enables long read ranges and rapid inventory of dense RFID tag populations. With its wideband design, it offers the possibility to create truly global RFID tags with performance that exceeds global regulations.
| Key features | UCODE® 8 | UCODE® 8M |
| Protocol | EPC Gen2 v2.0, ISO18000-6C | |
| TID Type | 96-bit Unique Tag Identifier | |
| EPC Memory | 128-bit | 96-bit |
| User Memory | / | 32-bit |
| Read sensitivity | -23 dBm | |
| Write Endurance | -18 dBm | |
| Encoding speed | 16 bits per millisecond | |
| Operating frequency | 860-960 MHz | |
| Self Adjust | automated tag performance optimization | |
| Brand Identifier | enables product authentication verification | |
| Write Endurance | 100000 | |
| Data Retention | 20 years | |
UCODE® 9 is a RAIN RFID tag chip launched by NXP, aiming to improve the efficiency of IoT applications in the retail and logistics fields. Features enhanced performance for more efficient inventory counting. Its miniaturized design helps reduce the use of plastic and aluminum, promotes environmental sustainability, and is in line with modern enterprises’ concerns about environmental protection.
Designed to replace the high-performance UCODE® 9, UCODE 9xe offers the same feature set, RF performance, and compatibility with Auburn ARC-certified antennas, but with 128-bit Electronic Product Code (EPC) memory to support a wider range of devices Networking use cases. The result is RAIN RFID tags that benefit brand owners, retailers, and consumers alike.
To support high-performance solutions in industrial and manufacturing environments, UCODE® 9xm offers high performance and an enhanced feature set with three flexible memory configurations that provide up to 496-bit Electronic Product Code (EPC) memory and up to 752 bits of user memory.
| Key features | UCODE® 9 | UCODE® 9xe | UCODE® 9xm |
| Protocol | EPC Gen2 v2.0, ISO18000-6C | ||
| Operating frequency | 860-960 MHz | ||
| Read sensitivity | -24 dBm | ||
| Write sensitivity | -22 dBm | ||
| EPC memory | 96-bit | 128-bit | Up to 496 bits |
| TID memory | 96-bit | ||
| Kill password | 32-bit | ||
| Memory safeguard | Yes | ||
| Block write (32-bit) | Yes | ||
| Permalock | One-time lock | Yes | Yes |
| Write endurance | 100k | ||
| Data Retention | 20 years | ||
UCODE® DNA RAIN RFID (UHF) tag IC supports use cases requiring long read ranges of up to 15 meters. The IC combines advanced contactless performance with cryptographic security to enable a variety of smart city applications such as asset tagging, automatic vehicle identification, access control, and supply chain management.
| Key features | UCODE® DNA | UCODE® DNA Track | UCODE® DNA City |
| Protocol | GS1 UHF RFID Gen2 v2.0, ISO/IEC 29167-10,ISO18000-6C | ||
| TID Type | 96-bit Unique Tag Identifier | ||
| EPC Memory | 224-bit | 448-bit | |
| User Memory | up to 3kbit | 256-bit | |
| Read sensitivity | -19 dBm | ||
| Write Endurance | -11 dBm | ||
| Encoding speed | 32 bits per 1.5 milliseconds | ||
| Operating frequency | 860-960 MHz | ||
| AES authentication sensitivity | -18 dBm | ||
| Tag authentication | based on cryptographic security | ||
| Privacy protection | based on cryptographic security | ||
| Operating frequency | 860-960 MHz | ||
| Selected chip impedance | enables re-use of antenna designs from UCODE 7 | enables the re-use of antenna designs from UCODE 7 | |
| Write Endurance | 100000 | ||
| Data Retention | 20 years | ||
Conclusion
As demonstrated, the top RFID chip manufacturers offer a variety of RFID chip solutions suitable for various industries and applications. Whether it’s NXP Semiconductors’ high-performance HF RFID chips or Alien Technology’s advanced UHF RFID solutions, businesses have several options available to meet their RFID needs. By leveraging the expertise and innovation of these leading manufacturers, businesses can implement reliable, efficient RFID systems to streamline operations, enhance security and drive business growth.
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