Samsung advances HBM4 chip in intensifying race with SK Hynix

Samsung has started 2026 announcing that its laser focused on its new HBM4 chip, with plans to compete directly with Nvidia and SK Hynix.

Samsung’s chip boss and co-CEO Jun Young-hyun told staff in a New Year speech that clients are calling the new product a comeback moment.

Back in October, Samsung said it was already in “close discussion” with Nvidia to supply HBM4 chips, a deal that if signed will quickly swing momentum fast in Samsung’s favor. But Jun also said the company still needs to improve the chip’s overall strength before it can claim real dominance again.

Samsung expands foundry and signs $16.5B Tesla chip deal

Samsung is also stacking wins in its foundry business. Jun said new chip deals with major clients have put this part of the company in a strong spot. He claimed the foundry is now “primed for a great leap forward.” One of those big deals is a $16.5 billion agreement with Tesla, signed last July.

Another Samsung co-CEO, TM Roh, gave his own outlook for 2026 and pointed to rising component costs and tariff walls as real threats. He also talked about reducing risks by changing how and where the company sources parts and ships products.

Across Asia, markets opened strong for the new year. South Korea’s Kosdaq rose 2.17%, closing at 945.57. The KOSPI Index ended at 4,309.63, up 2.27%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 2.76% to 26,338.47, and India’s Nifty 50 climbed 0.49% to 26,274.90. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 closed at 8,727.80, up 0.15%.

Some Asian exchanges stayed shut for the holidays, including Japan and mainland China. Singapore’s Straits Times Index was up 0.32%, while the Sensex in India gained 0.56%. Meanwhile, Sapphire Foods dropped as much as 6.4% after revealing a merger plan with rival franchisee Devyani, before cutting back losses.

SK Hynix warns of harder fight in 2026 as demand for AI chips grows

Over at SK Hynix, CEO Kwak Noh-Jung said demand for AI-related chips had exploded faster than the company expected. Speaking in his own New Year address, Kwak said: “AI demand is now a given rather than an upside surprise.”

He also warned the business climate in 2026 could get worse, not better. According to him, tougher conditions are ahead, and competing in the memory business will demand bolder bets and more spending. His company is leading the HBM market for now, with a 53% share in the third quarter of 2025. Samsung is second at 35%, and Micron is far behind with 11%, based on fresh numbers from Counterpoint Research.

On the first trading day of 2026, Samsung shares jumped 7.2%, while SK Hynix went up 4%. That’s stronger than the KOSPI Index, which only rose 2.3%. Both companies hit record highs. It’s clear the market still sees plenty of money in the memory race, even with the risks piling up.

Some Asian markets were still closed for the holidays, including Japan and mainland China.

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