SK hynix rises to No. 1 in global DRAM market for 1st time in Q1
The SK hynix logo / Korea Times file
Korean chip giant SK hynix has risen to the No. 1 position in the global dynamic random access memory (DRAM) market for the first time in the first quarter of this year, industry data showed Wednesday.
SK hynix secured a 36 percent global market share in terms of sales, edging out Samsung Electronics at 34 percent and Micron Technology at 25 percent, according to the data by industry tracker Counterpoint Research.
It marks the first time that SK hynix has surpassed Samsung Electronics in quarterly DRAM market share.
The achievement is attributed to strong sales of SK hynix's high bandwidth memory (HBM) chips.
"SK hynix has successfully dealt with rising demand for DRAMs, particularly HBM products," Choi Jeong-ku, a researcher at Counterpoint Research, said. "It is a milestone for the company."
According to separate data from corporate research firm Trend Force, Samsung Electronics led the DRAM market in the fourth quarter of last year with a 39.3 percent share, while SK hynix held 36.6 percent.
SK hynix currently leads the HBM market with its industry-leading fifth-generation HBM3E products driven by booming demand for artificial intelligence (AI) computing. HBM plays a critical role in graphics processing units (GPUs), a market largely dominated by Nvidia.
Counterpoint Research expects SK hynix to maintain its lead in the second quarter.
Demand for HBM is projected to remain resilient and be less affected by U.S. tariff policies in the short-term due to the booming AI sector, it noted.
The firm, however, warned that a broader economic slowdown or potential trade war could pose risks to HBM growth. (Yonhap)