Samsung Hits $1B HBM4 Sales as SK Hynix Ships HBM4E

South Korean semiconductor giants are competing for dominance in the artificial intelligence memory market through rapid product cycles and massive sales growth. Samsung Electronics surpassed $1 billion in sales of its sixth-generation high bandwidth memory chips, HBM4, within four months of their February 2026 launch. These chips are essential for AI systems and accelerators, including the Vera Rubin platform from Nvidia Corporation. Samsung projects June revenue for the line to reach $1.2 billion, with annual sales expected to exceed $10 billion this year.

Parallel to Samsung's growth, SK Hynix Inc. shipped samples of its 12-layer HBM4E high-bandwidth memory to major customers on June 17, 2026. The HBM4E model offers speeds up to 16 Gbps per pin and a 48GB capacity, utilizing Advanced MR-MUF technology to improve power efficiency by over 20% and reduce heat resistance by 17% compared to HBM4. These enhancements target the thermal stability needs of dense AI data centers.

Financial momentum has shifted toward SK Hynix, which recently surpassed Samsung Electronics to become South Korea's most valuable company. This rise follows a strong first quarter in 2026, where SK Hynix reported a 198.1% year-over-year revenue increase to 52.57 trillion won, driven by the high demand for AI-specialized memory products.