SK Hynix Seeks U.S. Listing to Fund AI Memory Expansion

High-bandwidth memory, or HBM, is a critical component in AI accelerators because it allows processors to access large volumes of data at high speed. SK Hynix’s planned US advanced-packaging facility is intended to expand capacity for the fast-growing AI market, strengthen supply-chain ties with partners including Nvidia, and support Washington’s effort to localize semiconductor production through the CHIPS Act.

SK Hynix will hold a groundbreaking ceremony on Aug. 27 for its advanced-packaging plant in Indiana, a project involving $3.87 billion in investment and support under the US CHIPS Act. The facility will focus on HBM used in artificial-intelligence systems and is scheduled to begin mass production in the second half of 2028, positioning the South Korean memory maker to capture rising demand from AI data centers.

SK Hynix has become a prime beneficiary of the AI infrastructure boom, using its lead in high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, to supply chips that feed data to AI accelerators. Demand for HBM, server DRAM and enterprise solid-state drives, combined with sharply higher memory prices, has turned a cyclical recovery into a semiconductor supercycle. KB Securities estimated that global technology companies and AI data-center operators represented about 70% of second-quarter revenue.

On July 29, SK Hynix reported 2026 second-quarter revenue of 79.32 trillion won and operating profit of 60.54 trillion won, up 257% and 557% from a year earlier, respectively. Its operating margin reached 76%. Net profit surged to 93.92 trillion won, producing a 118% net margin, as all three measures set quarterly records. Even so, revenue and operating profit missed a 14-brokerage consensus of 84.1 trillion won and 64.1 trillion won, showing how elevated expectations have become.

SK Hynix is a major South Korean memory-chip maker and a key supplier of high-bandwidth memory, or HBM, to NVIDIA. As generative AI and high-performance computing expand, HBM has become a critical component in AI accelerators, prompting investors to reassess the company’s growth potential and industry position.

In the latest trading as of July 2026, SK Hynix’s market capitalization exceeded $1 trillion, making it the third Asian company to cross that threshold. Its shares have doubled so far this year and reached a record high, bringing its market value close to that of Samsung Electronics. Micron also crossed the $1 trillion mark over the same period, while UBS raised its price target for the company to $1,525.

High-bandwidth memory (HBM) delivers large volumes of data to AI accelerators with high bandwidth and low power consumption, making it a critical component in the race for generative AI computing power. After a downturn in the memory market, SK hynix rebounded through technology investment and its supply partnership with Nvidia, becoming a key company in the global AI semiconductor supply chain.

South Korean broadcaster KBS was granted access to SK hynix’s M16 wafer fabrication plant for the first time. Its program “The World Seen for the First Time” showed the company’s secret HBM production line operating around the clock, along with employees at work. The report did not specify an air date, investment amount or production capacity, but footage from the facility showed the company working at full speed to meet demand for AI memory.

High-bandwidth memory, or HBM, is a critical component that gives AI accelerators rapid access to data, and supply has fallen short as data centers expand worldwide. SK hynix currently controls about 60% of the HBM market and is using advanced packaging and next-generation products to strengthen its lead while competing with Samsung Electronics and Micron for orders from major cloud providers.

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won recently pledged to sharply increase SK hynix's HBM output and accelerate the latest HBM4 into mass production to narrow the supply-demand gap for AI chips. He said adding wafer capacity takes at least four years and that tight global supplies could persist until 2030. The reports did not disclose the investment amount for the expansion or a specific production start date.

SK Hynix is one of the world’s leading memory-chip manufacturers. High-bandwidth memory, or HBM, accelerates the processing of large data volumes by AI chips and has become a critical component in AI servers. As generative-AI infrastructure expands, HBM technology and production capacity have become central areas of competition among memory-chip makers.

SK Hynix spent 6.7 trillion won on research and development in 2025, up 35% from 2024, with a focus on HBM technology for AI applications. The company was also selected as a supplier for Nvidia’s next-generation Vera Rubin AI platform and is expected to provide about two-thirds of its HBM4 chips, further strengthening its market position.