SK Hynix Ends Samsung’s Three-Decade DRAM Dominance, Driven by HBM Wins with NVIDIA

For the first time in more than 30 years, Samsung Electronics is no longer the world’s largest DRAM manufacturer. That title now belongs to SK Hynix, according to a report from Korean JoongAng Daily.

A Market Shift Driven by HBM and AI Demand

Samsung has dominated the DRAM industry since the late 1990s, consistently holding the largest global market share. But with the AI boom reshaping industry priorities, SK Hynix leveraged its leadership in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) to secure contracts with key partners like NVIDIA, shifting the balance of power in memory technology.

In just six months, Samsung’s DRAM market share dropped from 41.5% to 32.7%, marking its steepest decline since records began in 1999. At the same time, SK Hynix surged to 36.3%, surpassing Samsung for the first time in 33 years.

The crucial factor behind Samsung’s fall has been its inability to secure large-scale HBM contracts. While the company is still developing its HBM3E products, the lack of NVIDIA partnerships meant that a massive slice of demand in the AI and data center market went directly to SK Hynix.

SK Hynix’s HBM Dominance

SK Hynix has been building its HBM momentum for years. It was one of the first to work closely with NVIDIA on next-gen AI accelerators, and its continued advancements in HBM3 and HBM3E positioned it as the preferred supplier for AI-focused chips.

Beyond that, SK Hynix has already started production of a full-scale HBM4 solution, placing it even further ahead of its competitors. With AI driving unprecedented demand for advanced memory, this technological lead is proving to be the decisive factor in reshaping the DRAM landscape.

The Road Ahead for Samsung

While Samsung still holds a significant portion of the market, its challenge is clear: re-enter NVIDIA’s supply chain or risk further erosion of its leadership. Samsung’s recovery depends heavily on how competitive its upcoming HBM3E and HBM4 solutions will be compared to SK Hynix.

For now, the AI-driven demand surge has secured SK Hynix the industry crown, showing how quickly technological shifts can disrupt decades-long dominance in semiconductors.

Do you think Samsung can recover its DRAM leadership with HBM3E and HBM4, or will SK Hynix’s early lead keep it ahead for years to come?