SK Hynix topples Samsung as Korea's most valuable company

What happened

SK Hynix topped Samsung on Monday to become South Korea's most valuable company. The company's shares have more than quadrupled this year, and it joined Samsung and Micron in crossing a $1 trillion（約160兆円） valuation in May.

Why it matters

Memory chips have transformed from commodities into critical infrastructure as AI buildout accelerates, which has lifted the fortunes of all three major chipmakers. SK Hynix's rise is a striking turnaround for a company once so burdened by debt that it earned the Korean slang term for a penny stock.

What to watch

The capacity crunch from rising memory chip demand is pushing electronics prices higher, according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal — a sign that consumers are bearing the cost of the AI infrastructure race.