HBM

In 2018, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang proposed a collaboration with Samsung encompassing HBM, advanced process node development, and CUDA advancement. Reportedly rejected due to Samsung’s internal challenges, this decision allowed Nvidia to partner with SK Hynix for HBM, a lucrative alliance that saw SK Hynix’s share price surge. Meanwhile, Samsung now lags in HBM production and the AI chip foundry market, dominated by TSMC for Nvidia’s chips. Samsung is now trying to catch up, aiming for HBM4 contracts.

SK Hynix has surpassed Samsung to become the world’s largest DRAM revenue generator in Q1 2025, fueled by high bandwidth memory (HBM) demand. A report from Omdia shows SK Hynix generated $9.718 billion in revenue, securing a 36% market share and dethroning Samsung, which held the top spot since 1992. Although a slight decrease from Q4 2024, SK Hynix’s performance highlights the shifting dynamics in the DRAM market.