SK hynix Takes Early Lead in HBM4 Commercialization with Reported First Mass Shipments to NVIDIA

According to a report by South Korean media The Bell, SK hynix has officially begun mass shipments of 12-layer HBM4 to NVIDIA, with production now entering the ramp-up phase. Unlike previous shipments which were all classified as samples, this marks the first time HBM4 has been supplied in its final specification, having completed all quality certifications, for NVIDIA's next-generation AI platform "Vera Rubin." Starting this September, SK hynix is set to significantly expand HBM4 shipment volumes to fully meet NVIDIA's demand for high-end compute chips.

Accelerated Mass Production: SK hynix Delivers HBM4 in Just Two Months, Defying Industry Norms

From wafer input in April to final shipment took just over two months, compared to the industry's typical four-month cycle. According to industry insiders, this remarkably fast turnaround was made possible by SK hynix's expedited production and NVIDIA's streamlined validation process. On one hand, SK hynix activated an emergency production mode in response to NVIDIA's urgent supply requests, giving HBM4 products for NVIDIA higher process priority over other clients' products to maximize production speed. On the other hand, NVIDIA, facing an urgent need to secure supply, simplified its own HBM4 quality validation procedures.

SK Hynix is now ramping up wafer input across the board. Although initial shipment volumes remain relatively limited at this stage, the supply of HBM4 is expected to see a significant increase starting in September as production capacity steadily scales up.

Securing Top-Tier Supplier Status: SK hynix Captures Over 60% of NVIDIA's Supply Share

Leveraging its impressive performance in this accelerated mass production delivery, SK hynix has further solidified its position as NVIDIA's preferred supplier, with deep collaboration on high-end HBM products continuing to strengthen. Among the three major memory manufacturers, SK hynix is set to be the core supplier of HBM4 to NVIDIA, with shipment volumes far outpacing competitors. Industry estimates suggest SK hynix is expected to take on approximately 60% of NVIDIA's total HBM4 supply, with some industry views indicating this share could reach as high as 70%.

Additionally, SK hynix has completed price negotiations for next year's HBM4 products, leveraging its mature process architecture to achieve strong cost competitiveness. It is reported that SK hynix uses 10nm-class fifth-generation (1b) DRAM for the Core Die and TSMC's 12nm process for the Base Die in its HBM4, effectively controlling production costs while ensuring product performance. Based on this, SK hynix has offered lower prices than Samsung Electronics, further strengthening its supply chain advantages.

Turning Point in Q4: HBM4 to Surpass HBM3E

As production capacity continues to expand, SK hynix's HBM product portfolio is set for a critical generational upgrade. According to the reports, SK hynix's HBM4 shipments will continue to increase throughout the second half of this year, with HBM4 expected to surpass HBM3E in the company's overall HBM sales mix in the fourth quarter, marking a key crossover point where next-generation high-end memory becomes the core driver of revenue.

Beyond NVIDIA, SK hynix has also begun diversifying its HBM4 customer base. Following the initial mass shipment to NVIDIA last month, the company officially started shipping 8-layer HBM4 products to AMD this month, broadly expanding its footprint in the high-end AI memory market. From accelerated mass production, optimized validation, pricing advantages, to multi-customer deployment, SK hynix is leading the HBM4 commercialization race on all fronts.