Samsung reviews HBM sales strategy, long-term agreements with key customers - The Korea Times

Samsung Electronics reviewed its high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chip sales strategy and long-term supply agreements with key customers during a recent global strategy meeting, as demand for high-performa... Read original →

Samsung’s recalibration of its HBM strategy is a tactical response to the AI compute arms race. Technically, HBM4/HBM4E ramp-up will strain advanced packaging (e.g., CoWoS) capacity and intensify bottlenecks in TSV and hybrid bonding processes. Regulatory tightening by the U.S. and EU on AI chip exports compels Samsung to lock in key clients via long-term deals to mitigate supply chain fragmentation risks. Competitors like SK hynix and Micron will likely accelerate HBM4 qualification and offer aggressive pricing to retain NVIDIA. Over the next 12–24 months, HBM will shift from a performance option to a system necessity. Samsung isn’t just chasing market share—it’s vying for architectural influence in AI hardware. Without co-design integration with logic chips, however, its lead could be eroded by TSMC’s 3D stacking dominance.