SK hynix Inc. overtook Samsung Electronics to become South Korea's most valuable publicly traded company on June 22, 2026. This development marks a historic shift, ending Samsung’s top position of more than 20 years.
The company’s market capitalization reached approximately 2,080.4 trillion won, or roughly $1.35 trillion. This valuation narrowly surpassed Samsung's total market value following a surge in SK hynix share prices.
The growth stems from SK hynix's dominant position in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chip market. These chips are critical components for AI systems used by major technology companies including Nvidia and Google. This leadership change reflects how artificial intelligence is reshaping the global semiconductor industry.