As the global memory market enters a prolonged upcycle, South Korea's two leading memory chipmakers, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, are expected to post record operating profits in 2026. Combined operating profit could exceed KRW300 trillion (approx. US$210 billion), roughly double the level recorded in 2025.
The global memory industry is confronting a growing capacity crunch, one that is increasingly rippling upstream to a shortage of glass fiber cloth, an obscure but indispensable material in advanced semiconductor packaging.
The global memory industry entered a clear upturn in the second half of 2025 as both spot and contract prices rose sharply, lifting earnings across Taiwan's memory supply chain and pushing operating performance to cyclical highs in the fourth quarter.
Surging demand for AI hardware is prompting memory makers to reassess their product portfolios as resources shift toward higher-margin enterprise and data center markets. Following Micron's decision to exit its Crucial consumer business late last year, market speculation has emerged that SK Hynix may also be reviewing its exposure to consumer-grade memory products.
