SEOUL, Jan 28, 2026, 00:12 (KST)
- SK Hynix is reportedly weighing the creation of a U.S. unit dedicated to AI investment, following a report from local media.
- Maeil Business Newspaper reported that the unit might manage roughly 10 trillion won ($6.92 billion) in overseas AI-related assets from SK Group affiliates.
- The company stated it’s still exploring options and hasn’t reached a final decision yet.
SK Hynix confirmed it’s weighing the launch of a U.S. subsidiary dedicated to AI investments, following reports from local media about the company’s plans to set up such a unit. According to Maeil Business Newspaper, this new entity might oversee roughly 10 trillion won ($6.92 billion) in AI-related assets currently held overseas by SK Group affiliates. 1
Memory is becoming a critical choke point in the AI hardware race. High-bandwidth memory (HBM) — a stacked DRAM placed close to AI chips — speeds up data transfer while cutting power consumption. According to Macquarie Equity Research, SK Hynix held a 61% share of the HBM market last year, outpacing Samsung Electronics and Micron, Reuters reported earlier this month. 2
Maeil Business called the planned U.S. entity a “control tower” for AI investments, aiming to streamline decision-making by consolidating overseas assets under one roof. According to the paper, these holdings might feature SK and SK Innovation’s shares in TerraPower, a U.S. nuclear firm developing small modular reactors—compact units built factory-style—as demand for power surges with growing data centers. 3
SK Hynix revealed in a regulatory filing that it’s exploring “various measures” following the report, including the possibility of creating a subsidiary focused on AI investment. The company emphasized, however, that no final decision has been made yet. 4
Korean stocks had a strong session, with SK hynix jumping 8.7% to finish at 800,000 won. The Kospi also climbed 2.73%, closing at 5,084.85, according to Korea JoongAng Daily. Samsung Securities analyst Lee Jong-wook noted that “rising DRAM prices will drive share price gains in the first half.” 5
The competition in the chip market is heating up. Micron plans to reveal new memory-chip capacity investments in Singapore, sources told Reuters, amid a global memory chip shortage hitting AI service providers and electronics manufacturers hard. The company is also working on a $7 billion advanced packaging facility for HBM in Singapore, expected to ramp up production by 2027, Reuters reported. 6
SK Hynix is ramping up domestic capacity. “We have to support memory consumption for AI infrastructure,” Sungsoo Ryu, CEO of SK Hynix America, told Reuters this month. He detailed plans to accelerate factory openings and boost HBM production. 7
The investment-unit concept remains unsettled, with no firm structure or timeline set by the company. Meanwhile, U.S. tariff threats have left South Korean policymakers and exporters jittery. Former trade negotiator Choi Seok-young told Reuters the talk of tariff hikes might be “a political move” to force concessions. 8
