The global high-bandwidth memory (HBM) market is entering a new phase of technological transition. According to DIGITIMES Asia, as demand for AI accelerators continues to expand, the HBM market is expected to shift gradually from HBM3E to HBM4 in the second half of 2026, with Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix Competition with Micron Technology will also expand beyond the existing GPU supply relationship to encompass the new demand driven by cloud service providers’ in-house development of custom ASICs.

At the heart of this competition is not merely “who can be the first to mass‑produce HBM4,” but whether the three major memory manufacturers can simultaneously deliver higher bandwidth, lower power consumption, co‑design of logic‑and‑memory dies, and improved stacking yield. Advanced Packaging Key requirements include ecosystem integration and long-term customer order commitments. As major tech companies such as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft accelerate the development of their own AI chips, HBM4 is evolving from a complementary memory solution for NVIDIA GPUs into a strategic resource within the AI ASIC supply chain.

SK Hynix remains in the lead, but its advantage has entered a phase of revalidation.

According to data from Counterpoint Research, in the first quarter of 2026, SK Hynix will account for 58% of the global HBM market by revenue, while Samsung Electronics and… Micron Technology Each accounts for 21%. At this stage, the majority of revenue continues to come from HBM3E, with HBM4 shipments not expected to ramp up significantly until the second half of the year. Consequently, HBM4 deliveries, yield rates, and customer‑certification outcomes in the second half of 2026 will serve as key indicators of market‑share dynamics in the next phase.

SK Hynix previously established a leading position through its deep integration into NVIDIA’s supply chain via HBM3E. According to analysts cited in the report, SK Hynix is still expected to maintain a market share of over 60% in the HBM4 segment. For SK Hynix, the challenge lies in sustaining its pivotal role as a key supplier to NVIDIA while countering Samsung and Micron’s efforts to catch up in early‑stage mass production of HBM4 and in expanding their customer base.

Samsung moves first to secure its position, while Micron seeks to expand its market share.

Samsung Electronics is seeking to regain its leadership in the high‑end AI memory market with HBM4. According to reports, Samsung has already begun mass production and shipments of HBM4, generating approximately $1 billion in related revenue within about 130 days. The company’s competitive edge lies in leveraging a 1c DRAM process and its own foundry‑produced 4‑nm logic base dies, aiming to make up for earlier delays experienced during the HBM3E phase through integrated storage‑and‑logic capabilities.

According to official Samsung data, its HBM4 integrates sixth-generation 10-nanometer-class 1c DRAM with a 4-nanometer logic base die, highlighting the synergy between its memory and foundry capabilities; meanwhile, Samsung has also been advancing… HBM4E The samples have been prepared, and the company plans to win over customers in the subsequent custom HBM market. This means Samsung’s strategy goes beyond simply catching up with standard HBM products; it aims to rebuild customer trust across three fronts: HBM4, HBM4E, and custom HBM.

Micron Technology, meanwhile, is accelerating its production ramp-up to capture market share. In its fiscal third-quarter 2026 report, Micron stated that the production ramp for its 12-layer HBM4 products is roughly twice as fast as that of its 12-layer HBM3E, and cumulative HBM4 revenue has already surpassed $1 billion. The company aims to increase its HBM market share to approximately 20% by year-end. Driven by demand from AI data centers, Micron’s data center revenue exceeded $25 billion in the quarter, with an annualized run rate now exceeding $100 billion, underscoring the concurrent growth of its HBM and data center SSD businesses.

Custom ASIC demand is expanding, and HBM4 is no longer limited to GPUs.

The most significant difference between this round of HBM4 competition and previous generations is that the demand is expanding from NVIDIA GPUs to custom ASICs. Large cloud service providers are, on the one hand, continuing to procure general-purpose AI accelerators, while on the other hand, they are advancing in‑house chip development to reduce costs, optimize for specific model workloads, and gain greater control over system architecture.

This transforms HBM4 supply from a mere procurement of memory into platform‑level collaboration. Customers no longer just require capacity and bandwidth; they also need memory manufacturers to work in concert with ASIC design teams, packaging suppliers, and foundries to jointly optimize the logic substrate die, I/O interfaces, power integrity, thermal management, and package design. In other words, HBM4 is becoming an integral part of AI system design, rather than a standalone standard component.

Price power has shifted to suppliers, and long-term agreements help stabilize cyclical fluctuations.

Supply constraints have further strengthened the bargaining power of memory manufacturers. The report notes that investment in AI data centers remains the primary driver of HBM demand, while traditional… DRAM Prices for NAND are also rising rapidly. As cloud‑based customers develop their own ASICs, driving up demand for HBM4, the already tight high‑end memory market will face even greater supply‑demand pressures.

For memory manufacturers, HBM4 brings not only higher per‑die pricing but also longer‑term, more stable customer relationships. Companies like Micron are advancing strategic customer agreements, while SK Hynix and Samsung are strengthening long‑term supply arrangements, signaling that the memory industry is shifting from a highly cyclical spot‑market and short‑term contract model toward one characterized by long‑term capacity commitments, price bands, and shared risk with customers.

However, the market is not without risk. If AI‑related capital expenditures slow in the future, or if customers seek lower‑cost storage alternatives, the current boom could face a correction. Nevertheless, within the 2026–2027 time frame, HBM4 production capacity, packaging yield, and customer validation will remain the most scarce resources, making it difficult for the three major manufacturers to see their bargaining power significantly eroded in the short term.

News Analysis: At Its Core, the HBM4 Competition Is a Battle for System Leadership

From an industry‑structure perspective, the HBM4 competition has gone beyond a mere upgrade of storage technology. Samsung Electronics’ strength lies in its integrated IDM and foundry model; SK Hynix excels through deep collaboration with key AI customers; and Micron’s advantage stems from its rapid ramp‑up capabilities and a narrative centered on a U.S.-based supply chain. What these three companies are vying for is not just HBM shipment volumes, but rather who can enter the system‑design cycle for next‑generation AI accelerators and custom ASICs first.

As AI chips evolve from general-purpose GPUs to a variety of custom ASICs, HBM4 will become a critical factor determining system bandwidth, power consumption, package complexity, and overall cost. For downstream AI chip manufacturers, securing a stable, verifiable, and scalable supply of HBM4 will enable them to take the lead in the rollout schedule of next-generation AI platforms.