Samsung and SK Hynix Prepare Huge Spending Increase, Reports Say - Bloomberg.com

According to Bloomberg, Samsung and SK Hynix are planning significant spending increases in the semiconductor industry. This move reflects the sustained growth in global demand for memory chips and th... Read original →

Samsung and SK Hynix’s capex surge is less about capacity and more a race to lock in AI-driven HBM and 1β/1γ DRAM leadership. This will directly boost demand for EUV lithography and high-aspect-ratio etch tools while pressuring memory makers in Taiwan, China and mainland China to accelerate tech ramps—or risk permanent performance-per-watt obsolescence. Geopolitically, U.S.-led export controls on advanced equipment have raised their supply chain redundancy costs, yet ironically fortified their lead by raising entry barriers. With Micron closing in on HBM3E and YMTC gaining NAND share, the Korean duo is betting on generational gaps as moats. Over the next 18 months, the sector will shift toward 'capital intensity for technological sovereignty,' squeezing out players without anchor customers or state-backed funding.