COMPANY PROFILE / AI & MACHINE LEARNING
SK hynix
The Korean memory maker whose HBM sits beside AI chips, directing surging profit into fabs and packaging
SK hynix is a Korean semiconductor maker of DRAM and NAND flash and supplies the high bandwidth memory (HBM) placed beside AI accelerators. Revenue in 2025 was W97.1 trillion and operating profit W47.2 trillion; in the second quarter of 2026 alone revenue was W79.3 trillion and operating profit W60.5 trillion, both records (company results releases). In July 2026 it listed ADSs (American depositary shares) on Nasdaq, saying the funds will go to domestic fabs and EUV equipment. This profile sets out HBM generations and manufacturing, collaboration with TSMC, investment in new fabs and packaging plants, and customer concentration, within what the company has filed and announced. The prospectus also carries IDC estimates of HBM market share, but they are research-firm figures and are not used here. Check date: 15 October 2026.
- SK hynix in 30 seconds, and where it stands in AI and machine learning
- The logo and how the name is written
- Where the company sits in the AI and machine learning field
- Scale (limited to the AI-related business)
- Resources committed to AI and machine learning
- What it has done so far
- What comes next
- What the company is aiming for in AI and machine learning
- Map of partnerships in AI and machine learning
- Technology, products and services
- The risks this company carries
- Glossary / References / Claim-to-source audit
1. SK hynix in 30 seconds, and where it stands in AI and machine learning
Nasdaq: SKHY (ADSs)One ADS = one-tenth of a common share; listed in July 2026. SK Square held 20.5% (31 March 2026)
(HBM, DRAM, NAND)A memory specialist that designs and manufactures. The classification is ours
(amount not disclosed)Per the company's results release; its share of revenue is also not disclosed
(mass shipments from Q2 2026)HBM4E completed sample shipments in the first half (company statement)
AI chip performance is limited not only by how fast it computes but by how fast data can be moved from memory. SK hynix makes HBM (memory with DRAM chips stacked vertically), which plays that role. The company said HBM revenue more than doubled in 2025 and announced the start of HBM4 mass shipments in the second quarter of 2026 Sourced. Its sales are, however, concentrated: the largest customer was 23.9% of 2025 revenue, and in the first quarter of 2026 the two largest were 14.8% and 12.4%. The prospectus does not name them Sourced. As profit surges, the company is expanding long-term agreements (LTAs) and committing large sums to new fabs and packaging plants. This profile reads it through those two points: the position of HBM as a product, and customer concentration and the scale of investment.
2. The logo and how the name is written
A note on names: the legal entity is SK hynix Inc. SK Square is its largest shareholder (20.5%) and SK Group is the group name; neither is SK hynix itself. Solidigm is the U.S. subsidiary that runs the NAND business SK hynix acquired from Intel. An ADS (Nasdaq: SKHY) is a depositary receipt for one-tenth of a common share listed in Korea.
Official newsroom (source of the logo): https://news.skhynix.com/en/3. Where the company sits in the AI and machine learning field
4. Scale (limited to the AI-related business)
Most of SK hynix's revenue is DRAM and NAND, with HBM a part of DRAM. The table shows company-wide figures together with indicators close to AI (capex and R&D). Units are billions of won. Figures are from the prospectus and the company's results releases Sourced.
| Indicator (W billions) | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 32,766 | 66,193 | 97,147 |
| Operating profit | Not confirmed | 23,467 | 47,206 |
| Net profit (loss) | (9,138) | 19,797 | 42,948 |
| Capital expenditure (cash outflow for PP&E) | 8,325 | 15,946 | 27,519 |
| R&D expenditure | Not confirmed | 4,854 | 6,733 |
Quarterly figures for 2026 follow. Check date: 15 October 2026 Sourced.
| Indicator (W billions) | Q1 2026 | Q2 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 52,576 | 79,319 |
| Operating profit (margin) | 37,610 (72%) | 60,543 (76%) |
| Net profit | 40,346 | 93,923 |
| Cash and cash equivalents | W54.3 trillion | W88 trillion (up W33.6 trillion from the previous quarter) |
| Debt / net cash | W19.3 trillion / W35 trillion | W18.6 trillion / W69.4 trillion |
The revenue mix in the first quarter of 2026 was 77.3% DRAM and 22.0% NAND (prospectus). Consolidated headcount was 47,639 at the end of March 2026, of whom 35,321 were in Korea. The amount of HBM revenue and its share of revenue are not disclosed; the results release says only that HBM revenue more than doubled in 2025 Sourced.
Market share figures are not used. The prospectus carries IDC estimates of DRAM and HBM market share, but they are research-firm estimates, so this article gives no numbers and states no ranking Sourced. In the second quarter of 2026, net profit (W93.9 trillion) exceeded operating profit (W60.5 trillion). The body of the results release does not give the reason (not confirmed). Non-operating items may have contributed, but this article does not assert a cause Not yet confirmed.
5. Resources committed to AI and machine learning
The table shows whether the four items (people, money, outside investments and acquisitions, and ties with universities and public bodies) could be confirmed in the prospectus, results releases and official announcements.
| Type of resource | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|
| People | 47,639 consolidated and 35,929 stand-alone (31 March 2026). Three unions, the two largest representing 15,684 employees. A profit-sharing scheme uses 10% of operating profit. Plans global research centres in the U.S., China and Japan (prospectus). The number dedicated to HBM is not disclosed | Sourced |
| Money: R&D | W6.73 trillion in 2025 (up 38.7%). 4.7% of revenue in the first quarter of 2026 | Sourced |
| Money: capex | W27.5 trillion in 2025 (W15.9 trillion in 2024; W8.3 trillion in 2023). W7.7 trillion in the first quarter of 2026. The company says it plans to increase 2026 capex considerably over 2025 | Sourced |
| Money: funding | 177,900,000 ADSs offered at US$149 each (July 2026). Net proceeds were estimated in the prospectus at about US$26.2 billion, to be used for W45.5 trillion of capital expenditure on domestic fab construction and the acquisition of EUV scanners (about W11.9 trillion, delivered by December 2027) | Sourced |
| Outside investments and acquisitions | Acquisition of Intel's NAND business: paid US$6.6 billion in December 2021 and US$2.2 billion in March 2025, run by the U.S. subsidiary Solidigm. Acquired SK keyfoundry in August 2022 for W576 billion. In March 2025 integrated the CMOS image sensor unit into its AI memory organisation | Sourced |
| Public funding | For the Indiana plant, up to US$458 million in subsidies and up to US$570 million in loans from the U.S. Department of Commerce under the CHIPS Act, if project milestones are met. Support from the Korean government was not examined here | Sourced |
| Universities and research bodies | No joint research with a specific university or research body could be confirmed in the prospectus, results releases or newsroom articles (joint development with customers and partners is a separate matter) | Not confirmed |
Key products and facilities, as far as the company's materials let us confirm (check date 15 October 2026).
| Product or facility | Scale and content | Stage | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HBM3E (8-high and 12-high) | Named in the prospectus as representative advanced HBM configurations; the 12-high part was shown in an exhibit as mounted in NVIDIA's GB300 | In production and supply | April and July 2026 | Reference 1, 10 https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2120882/000119312526299963/d32785d424b4.htm https://news.skhynix.com/en/tsmc-technology-symposium-2026/ |
| HBM4 | 2,048 I/O terminals (double the previous generation), over 10 Gbps operating speed (JEDEC standard is 8 Gbps), more than 40% better power efficiency than the previous generation, Advanced MR-MUF and 1bnm (company stated) | Mass shipments (from Q2 2026) | 12 September 2025; 29 July 2026 | Reference 5, 4 https://news.skhynix.com/en/sk-hynix-completes-worlds-first-hbm4-development-and-readies-mass-production/ https://news.skhynix.com/en/q2-2026-business-results/ |
| HBM4E | Completed sample shipments in the first half; the company says it applied processes chosen for maturity and mass-production stability | Sampled Not yet confirmed | 29 July 2026 | Reference 4 https://news.skhynix.com/en/q2-2026-business-results/ |
| M15X (Cheongju) | An extension fab for next-generation DRAM such as HBM. The cleanroom opened in October 2025 and wafer input began in the first quarter of 2026; the company is accelerating the mass-production schedule | Ramping | July 2026 | Reference 1, 4 https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2120882/000119312526299963/d32785d424b4.htm https://news.skhynix.com/en/q2-2026-business-results/ |
| Yongin Y1 / Y2 | Y1 construction began in February 2025 with the first cleanroom targeted for February 2027. For Y2 (DRAM and HBM), the board approved about W35.2 trillion in August 2026, with construction due to start in July 2027 and the cleanroom in June 2029 | Y1 under construction / Y2 approved Not yet confirmed | 7 August 2026 | Reference 7 https://news.skhynix.com/en/fab-facility-investment-2026/ |
| M17 (Cheongju, NAND) | About W19.1 trillion; construction due in February 2027 and the first cleanroom in December 2028 | Approved Not yet confirmed | 7 August 2026 | Reference 7 https://news.skhynix.com/en/fab-facility-investment-2026/ |
| P&T7 (Cheongju, advanced packaging) | An advanced packaging plant for HBM back-end work, due for completion by the end of 2027. About W20 trillion of the W100 trillion for Cheongju is for P&T7 and others | Under construction Not yet confirmed | 2 July 2026 | Reference 8, 1 https://news.skhynix.com/en/fact-07/ https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2120882/000119312526299963/d32785d424b4.htm |
| Indiana plant (West Lafayette) | Focused on advanced packaging of HBM. Investment of about W5.9 trillion (prospectus) with the first cleanroom targeted for the second half of 2028. In June 2025 residents filed lawsuits seeking to void the re-zoning | Plan Not yet confirmed | July 2026 (prospectus) | Reference 1 https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2120882/000119312526299963/d32785d424b4.htm |
| Mid-to-long-term investment strategy | W1,100 trillion: Yongin 600, Cheongju 100, a new Southwestern cluster 400 trillion. Completion of Yongin's four fabs moved forward from 2045 to 2033 | Plan Not yet confirmed | 29 June 2026 | Reference 9 https://news.skhynix.com/en/fact-05/ |
"Plan", "due" and "target" do not mean the outcome is certain. The company says it will execute in phases according to demand and investment efficiency.
6. What it has done so far
| When | What happened | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| March 2012 | Hynix Semiconductor renamed itself SK hynix, under the SK Group | Per the prospectus history |
| October 2020 - March 2025 | Agreed to acquire Intel's NAND business (2020), paying US$6.6 billion in December 2021 and US$2.2 billion in March 2025; run as Solidigm | Broadened its enterprise SSD (eSSD) business |
| 19 April 2024 | Signed an MOU with TSMC and announced it would adopt TSMC's logic process for the HBM4 base die; also to optimise integration with CoWoS | The HBM base die moved from the memory company's own process to a logic process |
| December 2024 - February 2025 | Announced a plan for an advanced packaging plant in Indiana, U.S. (December). Began construction of the first Yongin fab (February 2025) | U.S. back-end expansion and a new front-end site moved together |
| September-October 2025 | Announced completion of HBM4 development and readiness for mass production (12 September). Opened the M15X cleanroom (October) | The company says it readied HBM4 mass production first |
| January-April 2026 | Reported record full-year 2025 results (28 January). First-quarter 2026 revenue topped W50 trillion for the first time (April). Keynote at the TSMC symposium on "the integration of memory and logic" (April) | Surging profit and an emphasis on ties with logic |
| June-July 2026 | Announced a technology partnership with NVIDIA on next-generation memory (June). The W1,100 trillion strategy (29 June) and W100 trillion for Cheongju (2 July). Listed ADSs on Nasdaq on 10 July at US$149. 2Q26 results on 29 July | A U.S. fundraising coincided with the announcement of investment plans |
| 7 August 2026 | The board approved new fabs: Yongin Y2 (about W35.2 trillion) and Cheongju M17 (about W19.1 trillion) | The plan moved to individual investment decisions |
7. What comes next
in the second half of 2026From the July 2026 results release; volumes not disclosed
targeted for February 2027Y2 in June 2029; Cheongju M17 in December 2028
The company presents these as plans and targets, not as achieved facts Not yet confirmed. The results release says investments will be executed "in phases based on customer demand and investment efficiency".
None of the following could be confirmed in the company's prospectus or results releases Not yet confirmed: the HBM revenue amount and its share of revenue; HBM4 shipment volumes, customer names and prices; the timing of HBM4E mass production; the terms of each long-term agreement (about ten customers); the 2026 capex amount; the location and timing of the new Southwestern cluster; why net profit exceeded operating profit in the second quarter of 2026. For HBM market share there are only research-firm (IDC) figures, which this article does not use.
8. What the company is aiming for in AI and machine learning
This chapter includes points the company does not state directly. They are written as inferences from primary sources, with the evidence alongside.
| What can be read | Primary evidence | Status |
|---|---|---|
| It is widening what it sells from HBM to AI memory as a whole, including server DRAM and eSSDs | The prospectus sets the vision of a "Full Stack AI Memory Creator" and shows AI-D (DRAM) and AI-N (NAND) frameworks; the second-quarter 2026 release says demand for AI memory and conventional memory is expanding in tandem | Inference |
| It is stepping into integration with logic, widening the memory company's role | It uses TSMC's logic process for the HBM4 base die and proposes custom HBM, HBF and DRAM stacked on logic (April 2026 keynote) | Inference |
| It seeks supply stability through long-term agreements | Concluded LTAs with about ten customers and is in talks with others; the stated aim is mid-to-long-term supply stability | Sourced |
| It is building back-end capacity across Korea and the U.S. to be closer to customers | P&T7 in Cheongju (end of 2027) and the Indiana plant (second half of 2028). The prospectus says the U.S. plant supports joint work with key U.S. customers and shorter development lead times | Inference |
| It aims to diversify its customers | The prospectus describes a strategy of widening customers beyond traditional AI accelerator providers to include leading cloud service providers | Sourced |
The second-quarter 2026 results release says that as AI models advance, the scope of memory competitiveness is expanding into system architecture and packaging, and that it plans to lead memory innovation "from a system perspective" using its co-development capabilities with customers Sourced. The same release says HBM4 achieved the operating speeds customers require and showed an edge in power efficiency and cost competitiveness (a company claim). From this we read that SK hynix is shifting toward competing on memory performance as a whole in combination with logic and packaging, rather than on the speed of a single chip. How far this has progressed cannot be measured from outside because HBM4 customers and volumes are not disclosed Not yet confirmed.
9. Map of partnerships in AI and machine learning
10. Technology, products and services
| Layer | Main products | What the prospectus and official materials say |
|---|---|---|
| HBM | HBM3E (8-high, 12-high), HBM4 (12-high; a 16-high 48 GB part shown), HBM4E and custom HBM | Memory that stacks DRAM vertically with TSVs. Custom HBM moves some GPU or ASIC functions into the base die |
| Server DRAM | 256 GB DDR5 RDIMM, MRDIMM, SOCAMM2 (192 GB) and LPDDR6 | Products on the 1c (sixth-generation 10nm-class) process are shipping in earnest; the 192 GB SOCAMM2 began mass production in April 2026 |
| eSSD / NAND | 321-layer QLC SSDs, eSSDs of up to 245 TB (in development) and Solidigm's high-capacity QLC | 321-layer products are already the largest share of production. The AI-N framework includes "AI-N B", which uses HBF |
| Next concepts | HBF (High Bandwidth Flash) and 3D stacked DRAM on logic | Proposed as part of the integration with logic at the TSMC symposium in April 2026 |
Stacking: TSVs and MR-MUF: HBM stacks DRAM chips on a base die, joined by electrodes that pass vertically through the chips (TSVs). SK hynix uses MR-MUF, which injects a liquid protective material into the gaps between stacked chips and hardens it, and says it gives good heat dissipation, good warpage control and less pressure on the chips during stacking Sourced. It also adopted Advanced MR-MUF for HBM4 (see our explainers on MR-MUF and HBM).
Base die and bandwidth: HBM4 has 2,048 I/O terminals, double the previous generation. SK hynix made its base dies with its own technology up to HBM3E but adopts TSMC's advanced logic process for HBM4 to pack more functions into limited space Sourced. For the core DRAM it uses its fifth-generation 10nm-class process (1bnm).
Heavy wafer use: the company says HBM needs more wafers than conventional DRAM to produce the same capacity and also needs specialised materials and components for advanced packaging, making manufacture more complex and resource-intensive Sourced. Investment in more fabs (M15X, Yongin) and EUV scanners (about W11.9 trillion) therefore bears directly on HBM supply capacity.
Heat and power: because HBM runs right beside the GPU, how heat is removed constrains performance (general understanding). The company says HBM4 power efficiency improved by more than 40%, but that is the company's stated value and the comparison conditions are not confirmed here (see our explainers on thermal interface materials and power and cooling for AI data centers).
11. The risks this company carries
| Risk | Details | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Customer concentration | The largest customer was 23.9% of 2025 revenue; in the first quarter of 2026 the two largest were 14.8% and 12.4%. Main customers are in the U.S. and China. Names are not disclosed | Sourced |
| Dependence on AI investment | The prospectus warns that if hyperscalers and others reduce, delay or reprioritise AI infrastructure investment, demand and results could be materially affected | Sourced |
| Memory cyclicality | A net loss of W9.1 trillion in 2023, then a return to profit in 2024 and a surge in 2025-2026. The prospectus says HBM and server DRAM may mitigate but not remove the cycle | Sourced |
| Difficulty of HBM manufacturing | HBM is more complex than conventional DRAM and uses more wafer and specialised materials. The prospectus says technology migrations and yield problems can occur, and customer qualification is strict | Sourced |
| Execution of large investments | The Yongin, Cheongju and Indiana investments are long-term and the company says it will execute them in phases according to demand and efficiency. EUV scanners are due by December 2027. Plans may change or be delayed | Sourced |
| China fabs and export controls | The U.S. VEU designation expired on 31 December 2025. An annual licence for 2026 was granted in December 2025, but the prospectus warns that delays in required licences could affect manufacturing in China | Sourced |
| U.S. funding and local lawsuits | CHIPS Act funding depends on meeting milestones, and the law could be amended or ended, the prospectus says. In Indiana residents filed suits seeking to void a re-zoning (June 2025). This article does not speculate on outcomes | Sourced |
12. Glossary
- HBM
- High bandwidth memory: DRAM stacked vertically and placed beside the GPU. Generations include HBM3E and HBM4.
- TSV
- Through silicon via: an electrode passing vertically through a chip to connect stacked chips.
- MR-MUF
- Mass reflow molded underfill: a process that injects liquid protective material into the gaps between stacked chips and hardens it.
- Base die
- The control chip at the bottom of an HBM stack that connects to the GPU; made on TSMC's logic process from HBM4.
- Custom HBM
- HBM whose base die carries some GPU or ASIC functions to suit a customer's requirements.
- LTA
- Long-term agreement: a multi-year supply contract with a customer.
- ADS
- American depositary share, a receipt traded in the U.S. One SK hynix ADS equals one-tenth of a Korean common share.
- eSSD
- Enterprise SSDs for data centers, built from NAND flash.
- SOCAMM2
- A memory module using low-power DRAM, aimed at AI servers.
- 1bnm / 1cnm
- Generation names for 10nm-class DRAM processes: 1b is the fifth generation and 1c the sixth.
- VEU
- Validated End-User: a U.S. export-control authorization allowing items to be supplied to a facility without individual licences.
- K-IFRS
- Korea's adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards, used for the company's results.
13. References
- SK hynix Prospectus (Form 424B4, filed with the U.S. SEC on 10 July 2026, for the ADS listing). Business, financials, capital expenditure, customer concentration, headcount, export controls, the NVIDIA technology partnership, the Indiana plant and the use of proceeds. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2120882/000119312526299963/d32785d424b4.htm
- SK hynix SK hynix Announces FY25 Financial Results (press release, full year 2025, 28 January 2026). https://news.skhynix.com/en/sk-hynix-announces-fy25-financial-results/
- SK hynix SK hynix Announces 1Q26 Financial Results (press release, April 2026). https://news.skhynix.com/en/q1-2026-business-results/
- SK hynix SK hynix Announces 2Q26 Financial Results (press release, 29 July 2026). Results, HBM4 mass shipments, long-term agreements and M15X, Yongin and P&T7. https://news.skhynix.com/en/q2-2026-business-results/
- SK hynix SK hynix Completes World's First HBM4 Development and Readies Mass Production (press release, 12 September 2025). HBM4 specifications and process. https://news.skhynix.com/en/sk-hynix-completes-worlds-first-hbm4-development-and-readies-mass-production/
- SK hynix SK hynix Partners with TSMC to Strengthen HBM Technological Leadership (press release, 19 April 2024, with a comment from a TSMC executive). https://news.skhynix.com/en/sk-hynix-partners-with-tsmc-to-strengthen-hbm-technological-leadership/
- SK hynix SK hynix Invests 54 Trillion Won in Yongin Y2 and Cheongju M17... (press release, 7 August 2026). https://news.skhynix.com/en/fab-facility-investment-2026/
- SK hynix SK hynix Announces Investment Plan for the Chungcheong Region (newsroom, 2 July 2026). Cheongju M17 and P&T7. https://news.skhynix.com/en/fact-07/
- SK hynix Explainer: SK hynix's Mid-to-Long-Term Investment Strategy (newsroom, 29 June 2026). The KRW 1,100 trillion mid-to-long-term plan. https://news.skhynix.com/en/fact-05/
- SK hynix "Overcoming Technological Limits Requires the Integration of Memory and Logic": SK hynix Presents Vision at TSMC Symposium (newsroom, 23 April 2026). https://news.skhynix.com/en/tsmc-technology-symposium-2026/
- SK hynix Source of the logo image (an SVG in the footer of the official newsroom; checked 15 October 2026). https://news.skhynix.com/en/wp-content/themes/skhynix/assets/images/img_logo_footer_pc_250524.svg
14. Claim-to-source audit
| Claim in the text | Status | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue, net result, capex and R&D for 2023-2025, and first-quarter 2026 figures | Sourced | Reference 1 https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2120882/000119312526299963/d32785d424b4.htm |
| Revenue mix (DRAM 77.3%, NAND 22.0% in Q1 2026) and customer concentration (two largest 14.8% and 12.4%; the largest 23.9% in 2025) | Sourced | Reference 1 https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2120882/000119312526299963/d32785d424b4.htm |
| Headcount (47,639 consolidated at 31 March 2026), labour unions and the profit-sharing scheme using 10% of operating profit | Sourced | Reference 1 https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2120882/000119312526299963/d32785d424b4.htm |
| The ADS listing (one ADS = one-tenth of a common share; 177,900,000 ADSs at US$149; Nasdaq: SKHY) and the use of proceeds (W45.5 trillion for domestic facilities, about W11.9 trillion for EUV scanners) | Sourced | Reference 1 https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2120882/000119312526299963/d32785d424b4.htm |
| The NVIDIA technology partnership (June 2026) and the Indiana plant (about W5.9 trillion, second half of 2028, up to US$458 million in funding and US$570 million in loans) with local lawsuits | Sourced | Reference 1 https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2120882/000119312526299963/d32785d424b4.htm |
| The acquisition of Intel's NAND business (US$6.6 billion and US$2.2 billion), Solidigm, and the acquisition of SK keyfoundry (W576 billion) | Sourced | Reference 1 https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2120882/000119312526299963/d32785d424b4.htm |
| The end of the VEU for the China fabs (31 December 2025) and the 2026 annual licence | Sourced | Reference 1 https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2120882/000119312526299963/d32785d424b4.htm |
| 2025 revenue of W97.1467 trillion and operating profit of W47.2063 trillion; HBM revenue more than doubled; HBM4 mass-production readiness | Sourced | Reference 2 https://news.skhynix.com/en/sk-hynix-announces-fy25-financial-results/ |
| First-quarter 2026 revenue of W52.5763 trillion and operating profit of W37.6103 trillion | Sourced | Reference 3 https://news.skhynix.com/en/q1-2026-business-results/ |
| Second-quarter 2026 revenue of W79.3187 trillion, operating profit of W60.5426 trillion and net profit of W93.9226 trillion; cash of W88 trillion; HBM4 mass shipments; HBM4E samples; long-term agreements with about 10 customers | Sourced | Reference 4 https://news.skhynix.com/en/q2-2026-business-results/ |
| HBM4 specifications (2,048 I/O, over 10 Gbps, more than 40% better power efficiency, Advanced MR-MUF, 1bnm) | Sourced | Reference 5 https://news.skhynix.com/en/sk-hynix-completes-worlds-first-hbm4-development-and-readies-mass-production/ |
| The April 2024 MOU with TSMC (TSMC logic process for the HBM4 base die; optimising HBM-CoWoS integration) | Sourced | Reference 6 https://news.skhynix.com/en/sk-hynix-partners-with-tsmc-to-strengthen-hbm-technological-leadership/ |
| The investment decisions for Yongin Y2 (W35.2 trillion, June 2029) and Cheongju M17 (W19.1 trillion, December 2028) and the Y1 cleanroom (February 2027 target) | Not yet confirmed | Reference 7 https://news.skhynix.com/en/fab-facility-investment-2026/ |
| In Cheongju, M17 (about W80 trillion) and P&T7 and others (W20 trillion), with P&T7 due for completion by the end of 2027 | Not yet confirmed | Reference 8 https://news.skhynix.com/en/fact-07/ |
| The W1,100 trillion mid-to-long-term plan (Yongin 600, Cheongju 100, Southwestern 400 trillion), bringing Yongin completion forward from 2045 to 2033 | Not yet confirmed | Reference 9 https://news.skhynix.com/en/fact-05/ |
| The TSMC symposium keynote (TSMC logic process for the base die, custom HBM, HBF, the 16-layer 48 GB HBM4 display) | Sourced | Reference 10 https://news.skhynix.com/en/tsmc-technology-symposium-2026/ |
| Source of the logo image | Sourced | Reference 11 https://news.skhynix.com/en/wp-content/themes/skhynix/assets/images/img_logo_footer_pc_250524.svg |
| The four-type classification and where SK hynix sits | Our calculation | Our own classification; company names are examples from firms covered in this series (this article) |
| HBM market share (the prospectus cites IDC estimates) | Not yet confirmed | A research-firm estimate, so not used in this article. This is an item we deliberately did not use, not company outlook |
| The HBM revenue amount and its share of revenue; HBM4 shipment volumes and customer names; the reason net profit exceeded operating profit in the second quarter of 2026; the terms of each long-term agreement | Not yet confirmed | Not in the earnings release or prospectus; press figures are not used. These are items we could not confirm, not company outlook |
| The readings that memory sets performance in AI compute, that the memory company is widening into a "full-stack creator", and that it is spreading its back-end sites | Inference | This article's interpretation of the earnings releases, prospectus and newsroom statements |
| The materials engineer's view (TSV, MR-MUF, the base die, wafer consumption, EUV) | Commentary | General technical commentary, not a company disclosure; figures are the company's stated values |
Last updated 15 October 2026 / Troy Technical
Figures in this article come from the prospectus (Form 424B4) that SK hynix filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and from its results press releases and official newsroom announcements. No research-firm estimates or press-based figures have been used (market estimates from IDC, Gartner and others in the prospectus are not used either). Product performance values are the company's stated values. Passages marked "Inference" are this article's interpretation of primary sources, not statements made by the company.