How did SK Hynix overtake Samsung?

Thanks to its early bet on HBM chips, SK Hynix's stock surged as AI demand grew, surpassing Samsung's market value.

When did SK Group acquire Hynix?

SK Group acquired Hynix Semiconductor in 2012.

How SK Hynix's Bet on a Niche Memory Chip Made It More Valuable Than Samsung

SK Hynix has overtaken Samsung Electronics to become South Korea's most valuable company, driven by its long-term bet on high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips used in AI. The conglomerate SK Group acquired Hynix in 2012 in a deal once considered financially irresponsible.

June 24, 2026

2 min read

Source: Reuters

According to Reuters, SK Hynix has overtaken Samsung Electronics to become South Korea's most valuable company. This achievement is the culmination of a 14-year bet on high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, which are now central to the global AI boom.

Details

In 2012, conglomerate SK Group acquired Hynix Semiconductor in a deal that was considered financially irresponsible at the time. Back then, Samsung was valued at more than 10 times SK Hynix and was the global leader in Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM), a memory type powering laptops and smartphones.

Context

As tech giants race to develop AI applications, demand for HBM chips—where SK Hynix excels—has surged. This demand has propelled SK Hynix's stock, surpassing Samsung's market value.

What This Means for Investors

SK Hynix's success highlights the value of early bets on emerging technologies. For investors, it underscores potential opportunities in companies specializing in niche AI hardware.

Frequently Asked Questions

High-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips are a specialized type of RAM used in AI applications and high-performance computing.

Found this useful? Share it

This article was rewritten in Wrqti's editorial style based on information from the original source above. Content is informational only — not investment advice.