Samsung says it shipped HBM4 chips as AI memory race with SK Hynix, Micron tightens

SEOUL, Feb 12, 2026, 19:22 (KST)

• Samsung has sent out HBM4 high-bandwidth memory chips to its customers, the company said.
• Samsung is betting big on HBM chips, projecting that sales will surge more than threefold in 2026 as it ramps up HBM4 production.
• SK Hynix and Micron both say they’ve started ramping HBM4, driven by demand tied to Nvidia.

Samsung Electronics on Thursday said it’s sent out its newest HBM4 memory chips to customers, stepping up efforts to narrow the distance with competitors making components for Nvidia’s AI accelerators.

HBM — high-bandwidth memory — pushes huge amounts of data rapidly into AI processors, keeping models training and running smoothly instead of stalling on sluggish memory links.

Timing is key here. The worldwide scramble to build AI data centres has made HBM a rare, high-margin part. Samsung’s lagged behind SK Hynix, its local competitor, in cutting-edge HBM tech. Investors are looking for any indication Samsung can claw back some ground.

Samsung is touting its HBM4 with a steady 11.7 gigabits per second—22% faster than the HBM3E. The chip can hit up to 13 Gbps, and Samsung expects to send out HBM4E samples in the back half of this year. CTO Song Jai-hyuk called customer feedback “very satisfactory.” Shares in Samsung gained 6.4%; SK Hynix finished up 3.3%. Both SK Hynix and Micron report their HBM4 chips are either shipping or already in volume production. 1

Samsung is looking for HBM chip sales to jump more than threefold in 2026 compared with 2025, as it ramps up production capacity for HBM4. The company, which claims to be the first to mass-produce and deliver HBM4 chips, saw its shares surge over 6% to an all-time high on Thursday, according to Investing.com. 2

Micron Technology CFO Mark Murphy, speaking at a Wolfe Research event, rejected what he described as “inaccurate reports,” making clear the company has “already entered mass production of HBM4 and started customer shipments.” According to Murphy, volumes are ramping up in the first quarter, with HBM4 yields and speeds topping 11 Gbps matching targets. He also pointed to strong demand, telling ChosunBIZ that Micron’s HBM output for 2026 is fully booked. 3

Micron shares have been volatile lately, with investors jittery over which suppliers will land a spot in Nvidia’s next-gen GPUs—sometimes called the Vera Rubin line. Mizuho’s Jordan Klein, cited by MarketWatch, pointed out the market might be getting ahead of itself on early talk about supplier splits. 4

Samsung has continued to assure investors it expects the memory market’s rally to keep going. On Wednesday, Song told Reuters that AI is set to fuel robust demand for memory chips all the way through 2027. 5

Still, the HBM4 race isn’t without pitfalls. Manufacturing yield—the proportion of chips that make it through testing—can send orders fluctuating, while major customers’ qualification checks add another layer of uncertainty. A setback there can hold up shipments or put pressure on prices.

Samsung kept quiet on who’s buying its HBM4 chips. The company is still chasing SK Hynix, trying to close the gap as competitors move ahead with their own HBM4 launches. Samsung’s next play? An HBM4E upgrade, set for later this year.