SK hynix maintains DRAM market lead over Samsung in second quarter

SK hynix Icheon headquarters Yonhap — SK hynix Icheon headquarters/ Yonhap

SEOUL, September 05 (AJP) - SK hynix retained its position as the world's largest DRAM manufacturer in the second quarter of 2025, widening its lead over Samsung Electronics as high-bandwidth memory (HBM) demand continued to drive growth, according to data released Friday by market research firm Omdia. Global DRAM industry revenue increased 17.3 percent quarter-over-quarter to $30.92 billion, driven by rising contract prices and increased HBM shipments.

SK hynix expanded its DRAM market share to 39.5 percent in the second quarter from 36.9 percent in the first quarter, maintaining the top position it first claimed in early 2025. Samsung Electronics' market share declined to 33.3 percent from 34.4 percent during the same period, keeping the company in second place for the second consecutive quarter.

The gap between the two South Korean memory manufacturers widened significantly, with SK hynix's lead expanding from 2.5 percentage points in the first quarter to 6.2 percentage points in the second quarter. In absolute terms, SK hynix generated $12.23 billion in second-quarter DRAM revenue compared to Samsung's $10.3 billion, a difference of more than $1.9 billion.

SK hynix's dominance stems largely from its leadership in the high-bandwidth memory market, where it holds over 50 percent market share and serves as the primary supplier to major technology companies including NVIDIA. The company has reportedly sold out its entire 2025 HBM production capacity and is currently negotiating contracts for 2026 deliveries.

Market research firm TrendForce corroborated the findings, reporting SK hynix's DRAM market share increased from 36 percent to 38.7 percent between the first and second quarters. SK hynix's second-quarter performance marks the first time since 1992 that Samsung has lost its global DRAM market leadership position, ending a 33-year streak at the top of the memory industry.

Candice Kim candicekim1121@ajupress.com