SK Hynix Hits $1 Trillion Valuation as AI Drives Chip Rally Globally

SK Hynix shares jumped more than 11% on Wednesday, pushing the South Korean memory-chip maker’s market capitalization above the $1 trillion threshold for the first time as investor demand for AI-related memory surged.

The intraday rally sent the stock to record highs and lifted the company’s market value into the roughly 1,600–1,700 trillion won range (about $1.08–$1.12 trillion, depending on exchange rates), according to market reports. The move was driven largely by tight supply and strong orders for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI servers, where SK Hynix holds a leading share.

The surge in SK Hynix and peer stocks propelled South Korea’s KOSPI to fresh peaks and briefly raised market volatility, triggering automated trading curbs in some sessions. Investors piled into memory names after Micron and Samsung recently crossed similar valuation milestones, turning the sector into a focal point of the global AI hardware rally.

In a broader context, news outlets and market data providers note that AI-driven demand has reshaped memory economics, prompting large capital expenditures and tighter supply dynamics that support sustained price recovery. Industry reports and company filings point to accelerated investments in HBM capacity and advanced packaging to meet hyperscaler orders.

Analysts say if demand continues to outstrip supply through 2028, pricing power and earnings could remain elevated, justifying higher multiples for leading memory suppliers; still, they warn of concentration risk and potential pullbacks if sentiment shifts. Key near-term triggers to watch include capacity announcements, large customer contracts and quarterly results that confirm margin expansion.