SK Hynix

SK Hynix is a South Korean semiconductor company that has become the world's second-largest memory chipmaker, trailing only Samsung Electronics. Founded in 1983 as Hyundai Electronics by Chung Ju-yung, the company originally focused on producing memory chips for Hyundai's automotive and electronics divisions. After a merger with LG Semicon in 1999 and a period of financial turbulence during the early 2000s dot-com crash, the company rebranded as Hynix in 2001. In 2012, SK Group acquired a controlling stake, injecting capital and stability, and the company was renamed SK Hynix.

Today, SK Hynix is best known for its dominance in High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), a specialized DRAM used in AI accelerators. With a 56.4% market share in HBM as of early 2026, the company is the primary supplier for NVIDIA's AI GPUs. Its broader product lineup includes server DRAM, mobile DRAM, NAND flash for SSDs, and CMOS image sensors. The acquisition of Intel's NAND and SSD business, completed in 2021, vaulted SK Hynix to second place in the global NAND market, behind Samsung.

The company's financial performance has soared alongside the AI boom. In fiscal year 2024, SK Hynix reported revenue of 66.19 trillion won (about $66.3 billion), triple its 2023 revenue. In June 2026, it surpassed Samsung to become South Korea's most valuable company by market capitalization. SK Hynix operates major fabrication plants in Icheon and Cheongju, South Korea, as well as in Wuxi and Dalian, China, and employs over 46,000 people worldwide. [edit]