Samsung Defends DRAM, NAND Lead; SK hynix Holds 58% of HBM - Seoul Economic Daily

Samsung Electronics maintains its leading position in the DRAM and NAND flash markets while defending against competitive pressures. According to reports from the Seoul Economic Daily, Samsung holds s... Read original →

Samsung’s dominance in DRAM and NAND provides a cashflow moat for its AI-era transition, yet SK hynix has seized the strategic high ground with 58% HBM market share. Technically, HBM’s reliance on TSV and CoWoS packaging is forcing TSMC and ASE to accelerate capacity alignment; if Samsung fails to mass-produce HBM4 and resolve TSV yield issues by 2027, its legacy memory lead may not translate into AI gains. Geopolitically, tightening U.S.-Japan-Netherlands equipment controls raise both EUV access delays and material traceability costs for Korean HBM expansion. In response, Micron—backed by CHIPS Act subsidies—is partnering with Broadcom on CXL+HBM heterogeneous architectures to bypass Korean IP walls. Over the next 18 months, HBM will shift from performance-centric to power-efficiency-driven designs: SK hynix leads by half a node, but Samsung’s vertical integration could enable a PIM-based counterstrike.