SK Hynix slows HBM4 production to boost DRAM profits - Crypto Briefing

SK Hynix, the world's leading supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), has taken an unconventional move by slowing down production of its next-generation HBM4 chips to focus resources on conventional ... Read original →

SK Hynix’s deliberate slowdown in HBM4 production is a tactical retreat amid the AI memory arms race. Technically, this delays co-optimization with NVIDIA’s next-gen Blackwell Ultra and CoWoS packaging, but frees EUV capacity to accelerate 1c-node DRAM ramp—easing spot shortages in server and PC segments. From a compliance standpoint, with DRAM fabrication heavily concentrated in South Korea and Taiwan, China, geopolitical fragility persists; stockpiling mature-node inventory serves as proactive supply chain insurance. Samsung and Micron will likely exploit a 6–12 month window to boost HBM3E yields and lock in AMD or Intel as alternative AI chip partners. Over the next 24 months, the HBM landscape will shift from SK’s near-monopoly to a three-player sprint, while today’s DRAM profit surge may vanish by 2027 as new capacity comes online—making this move a calculated trade of short-term tech leadership for long-term cash flow resilience.