SK Hynix Reaches $1 Trillion Valuation as CEO Unveils Aggressive Expansion Plans

Key Highlights

• Chairman Chey Tae-won revealed a strategic initiative to expand wafer manufacturing capacity twofold within five years during Computex Taipei.
• SK Hynix dominates 58% of the worldwide HBM chip market, while Samsung and Micron control 21% each.
• The memory chipmaker achieved a historic $1 trillion valuation milestone recently.
• Goldman Sachs upgraded its 2028 operating profit projection for SK Hynix by 24%, reaching 454 trillion won (approximately $299.62 billion).
• The chairman cautioned that rapid price escalations in DRAM and HBM technologies could threaten the AI industry’s long-term viability.

SK Hynix is embarking on a massive expansion journey. The parent company, SK Group, announced Tuesday its intention to double manufacturing capacity for wafers across the coming five years, responding to surging artificial intelligence demand that has positioned memory semiconductors at the heart of the technology sector.

At Computex in Taipei, a premier annual conference for semiconductor industry leaders and technology executives, Chairman Chey Tae-won unveiled this aggressive growth strategy. Nvidia, representing one of SK Hynix’s most critical client relationships, also maintained a presence at the conference.

While the goal is undeniably bold, market demand clearly supports such ambition. Artificial intelligence applications are consuming unprecedented volumes of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, and SK Hynix currently leads the global supply chain for these critical components.

According to Counterpoint Research data, the company captured 58% of the worldwide HBM market during Q1 2026. Samsung and Micron each maintained 21% market shares.

The South Korean chipmaker recently surpassed the $1 trillion market capitalization threshold for the first time, joining Samsung and Micron in this exclusive club. This remarkable stock performance has been fueled primarily by investor enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence and continuous demand for cutting-edge memory technologies.

Chey also reinforced a previous warning: worldwide semiconductor wafer supply constraints may continue through 2030. This projection, originally issued in March, emphasizes the urgency behind the company’s current production scaling efforts.

Race for Nvidia’s Next-Generation Platform

He further indicated that SK Hynix must cultivate additional strategic partnerships in Taiwan beyond its current collaboration with TSMC. This statement reveals the company’s intention to strengthen its presence throughout the island’s comprehensive semiconductor infrastructure during this scaling phase.

Samsung also made significant announcements at Computex Tuesday, presenting a prototype of its HBM5 chip and introducing innovative thermal management capabilities for the product. The previous week, Samsung disclosed it had commenced shipping HBM4E chip samples to clients — establishing a lead among competitors in distributing this particular product.

Wall Street Upgrades Expectations

Financial analysts are responding positively. Goldman Sachs recently increased its 2028 operating profit projection for SK Hynix by 24%, elevating the estimate to 454 trillion won, equivalent to roughly $299.62 billion. Samsung received a similar upgrade with forecasts rising 23.3% to 610 trillion won.

Both revisions reflect expectations of continued AI-driven demand for memory semiconductor products.

Despite the optimistic outlook, Chey adopted a measured stance regarding pricing dynamics. He cautioned that dramatic price increases in DRAM and HBM technologies could ultimately harm the broader AI ecosystem and compromise sustainable growth trajectories.

Goldman Sachs’ updated 2028 operating profit projection for SK Hynix totals 454 trillion won (approximately $299.62 billion).

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