Taiwanese technology news site TechNews recently reported that SAS Institute, a globally renowned data analytics software provider, is completely withdrawing from the Chinese market, and its China team faces total layoffs.
Founded in 1976 and headquartered in North Carolina, USA, SAS (Statistical Analysis Software) is the world’s largest privately held software provider. It is also the software vendor most frequently used by Fortune 500 companies. Its flagship products are the SAS business statistical analysis software system, as well as data management, analysis, artificial intelligence, and decision support software. In the history of data analytics, SAS was the introductory tool for countless professionals, and in the early 21st century, it was the undisputed benchmark of the industry.
SAS first entered the Chinese market in 1999 and established a research and development center and user support organization in Beijing in 2005. Having cultivated the Chinese market for decades, SAS has established a strong industry foundation in China and is widely used in key sectors such as banking, insurance, finance, government, and energy. SAS’s algorithm models are highly irreplaceable in scenarios such as financial risk control and precision marketing, especially in core businesses such as bank loan approval and insurance actuarial science.
In recent years, many international companies have adjusted their China strategies, shifting from wholly-owned operations to partnerships or withdrawal. SAS’s withdrawal signifies that the development of international professional software in China has entered a contraction era.
Sources:
(1) TechNews, October 31, 2025
https://finance.technews.tw/2025/10/31/sas-institue/
(2) NetEase, October 31, 2025
https://www.163.com/dy/article/KD6VR1N105525Z6H.html