[News] SK hynix Commits $8B to ASML EUV Equipment by 2027 in Push for AI Memory Dominance
SK hynix is moving aggressively to expand its AI memory capabilities, reportedly planning a U.S. ADR listing to fuel growth, while already securing critical chipmaking equipment through a massive purchase. According to Yonhap News and Reuters, citing a company announcement, it is stepping up production and process upgrades with a 12 trillion KRW (roughly ($7.97 billion) EUV equipment spend.
On March 24, the company confirmed it will acquire EUV scanners from Dutch equipment maker ASML. The total acquisition cost is approximately 11.95 trillion KRW, representing 9.97% of the company’s total assets as of the end of 2024, according to SK hynix.
As highlighted by Yonhap, the transaction will span roughly two years, through December 2027, covering equipment acquisition, installation, and upgrades. The move targets rising demand for AI memory, including HBM, while also addressing growing needs for general-purpose DRAM, the report notes.
EUV Purchases Linked to Expansion and 1c Node Transition
Yonhap News explains that the move is likely tied to the company’s plan to speed up the transition to its 6th-generation (1c) process. As noted by the report, SK hynix’s 1c process is expected to be applied to key next-generation products such as HBM, DDR5, and LPDDR6.
The Chosun Daily reported earlier that SK hynix currently produces the core die for HBM4 using its 1b process, but is expected to switch to the 1c DRAM process for HBM4E, while relying on TSMC’s 3nm technology for the logic die. Samsung, by contrast, has already adopted the 1c DRAM process for its HBM4 products.
Meanwhile, SK hynix’s push into EUV equipment comes alongside an accelerated production expansion. The Dong‑A Ilbo reports that the company recently opened the second cleanroom at its M15X fab in Cheongju, and began installing equipment—moving the original May schedule forward by two months. With this, both M15X cleanrooms are now gearing up for full operation, the report adds.
According to The Dong‑A Ilbo, SK hynix plans to meet next-generation HBM demand at M15X until the completion of the first fab at the Yongin semiconductor cluster in 2027.
Bold EUV Roadmap
SK hynix has shown its EUV ambition back in September 2025, when it became the first memory maker to deploy High-NA EUV equipment for mass production at its M16 fab in Icheon. According to a previous ET News report, the memory giant is set to massively expand its EUV lithography capacity, and plans to bring in around 20 additional EUV machines by 2027, doubling its current fleet.
Notably, the report suggests that EUV equipment comes with a hefty price tag of KRW 300–500 billion per unit, and SK hynix’s total investment is expected to surpass KRW 6 trillion, underscoring the company’s massive commitment to next-generation memory production.
Read more
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(Photo credit: SK hynix)
