Memory chip giants SK Hynix and Micron cross $1tn valuation amid AI mania - Euronews.com

The global memory chip sector is undergoing a transformative phase, driven by surging demand from AI development, which is reshaping the semiconductor landscape. SK Hynix and Micron Technology have bo... Read original →

The AI compute arms race has elevated HBM to the apex of semiconductor value chains. SK Hynix and Micron crossing the $1T valuation mark reflects pricing of technological scarcity, not speculation. Upstream bottlenecks in EUV and 3nm processes concentrate HBM3E/4 supply, while NVIDIA’s Blackwell architecture intensifies demand for 12-Hi stacks, worsening imbalance. Geopolitically, U.S. CHIPS Act subsidies ease Micron’s capex burden, but its packaging facilities in Taiwan, China remain exposed to export controls, raising compliance costs by over 15%. Samsung will likely abandon price wars and accelerate HBM4 development to reclaim technical leadership; TSMC leverages CoWoS to lock in AI chip clients, effectively controlling ecosystem access. Within 18 months, HBM will shift from optional to server-standard, triggering consolidation among second-tier memory makers and forcing China’s CXMT into accelerated tech breakthroughs—the real stakes are computational sovereignty.