SK hynix has secured approximately $26.5 billion through its American Depositary Receipt (ADR) offering in the United States, marking the largest U.S. equity offering ever completed by a foreign company and reinforcing its long-term commitment to artificial intelligence (AI)-driven semiconductor growth.
According to a regulatory filing released Thursday, the company priced its ADRs at $149 per share. The offering consists of 177.9 million ADRs, representing 17.79 million newly issued common shares, with each common share equivalent to 10 ADRs.
Based on the final offering price, SK hynix will raise approximately $26.5 billion (around KRW 40 trillion), surpassing Alibaba's $25 billion U.S. initial public offering in 2014 to become the largest capital raising by a foreign issuer in the U.S. market.
The company said the proceeds will be invested in expanding next-generation semiconductor manufacturing capacity, including construction of the first fabrication plant at the Yongin Semiconductor Cluster, development of the Cheongju P&T7 advanced packaging facility, and procurement of cutting-edge extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment.
Industry analysts said the fundraising reflects growing investor confidence in the long-term outlook for AI semiconductors, particularly high-bandwidth memory (HBM), where SK hynix has established itself as a global technology leader. As demand for AI servers and data centers continues to accelerate, expanding production capacity is expected to be critical to maintaining competitiveness in the rapidly evolving memory market.
The investment is also expected to enhance the company's ability to respond to rising global demand for premium memory products while strengthening its advanced packaging capabilities, a key component of next-generation AI chip performance.
To commemorate the ADR listing, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won is scheduled to participate in the Nasdaq opening bell ceremony in New York alongside SK hynix Chief Executive Officer Kwak Noh-jung and other senior executives.
Chey is also expected to discuss the future of AI semiconductors during a live interview on The Six Five program on July 12 (U.S. time), where topics will include the evolution of the AI memory market, competition in HBM technologies, and the long-term outlook for AI infrastructure investment.
The ADR listing represents another milestone in SK hynix's global expansion strategy as the company seeks to capitalize on surging AI demand while reinforcing its position as one of the world's leading memory chip manufacturers.
