SK hynix has overtaken Samsung Electronics in global DRAM market share for the first time, according to a new industry report.
Dynamic random-access memory, or DRAM, is a type of semiconductor used for temporary data storage that is erased when power is lost. DRAM accounts for approximately 60% of the overall memory chip market.
Market research firm Counterpoint Research reported on Apr. 9 that SK hynix captured 36% of global DRAM revenue, edging out Samsung Electronics at 34%. It marks the first time SK hynix has claimed the top position in the DRAM segment. Samsung had maintained its leadership in the sector since 1992. Counterpoint did not disclose revenue figures for either company. U.S.-based Micron Technology ranked third with a 25% market share.
SK hynix’s ascent was largely fueled by its dominance in high bandwidth memory (HBM), a premium DRAM variant essential to powering artificial intelligence (AI) chips. HBM is produced by vertically stacking eight or twelve DRAM chips and is regarded as one of the highest value-added memory products.
The company currently controls more than 70% of the HBM market and supplies the majority of its HBM output to Nvidia, a major player in the AI sector—boosting profitability significantly. Samsung is also seeking to supply HBM chips to Nvidia but has yet to complete the quality verification process. Some analysts have noted that SK hynix may even be ahead of Samsung in the development of next-generation DRAM technologies.
Industry forecasts that SK hynix could overtake Samsung in DRAM revenue began circulating last year, as the gap between the two companies steadily narrowed throughout 2023. In the fourth quarter of that year, Samsung held a 45.5% market share compared with SK hynix’s 31.8%, a difference of 13.7 percentage points. By the fourth quarter of 2024, that gap had narrowed to just 2.7 points.
SK hynix is expected to retain its lead into the second quarter. “In the short term, SK hynix is likely to be less affected by tariff-related trade tensions due to strong AI-driven demand. Its AI servers equipped with HBM are being sold not only in the United States but also across multiple countries,” Counterpoint said.
However, the firm also cautioned that a prolonged economic slowdown stemming from U.S. tariffs could eventually weigh on HBM market growth.
