Samsung Electronics has become the first company in South Korean stock market history to surpass 2 quadrillion won ($1.5 trillion) in combined market capitalization, fueled by surging investor enthusiasm over the artificial intelligence semiconductor boom.
According to market data on Thursday, Samsung Electronics shares jumped more than 6% during trading to reach an intraday high of 319,000 won, extending a massive rally that has more than doubled the company’s stock price since the beginning of the year. Preferred shares also surged sharply, pushing the combined market capitalization of common and preferred stock above the 2,020 trillion won mark.
The rally reflects growing expectations that the global AI memory supercycle will continue for years as demand for high-performance semiconductors accelerates alongside the rapid expansion of generative AI services and hyperscale data centers.
Investor sentiment was further boosted after Samsung Electronics announced that it had successfully supplied samples of its seventh-generation High Bandwidth Memory product, HBM4E, to global customers. The company said the next-generation AI memory chip is designed to meet soaring demand from AI accelerator makers and cloud computing giants.
HBM4E is widely expected to be used in next-generation AI systems, including future accelerators from NVIDIA, which remains the dominant force in the AI chip market. Industry analysts believe the latest development signals that competition in the HBM sector is rapidly shifting toward seventh-generation products.
The AI-driven semiconductor rally is also reshaping the balance of power in the Korean stock market. Shares of SK hynix climbed above 2.3 million won on Thursday, lifting its market capitalization beyond 1.6 quadrillion won and narrowing the gap with Samsung Electronics.
Market analysts say global demand for AI servers and memory chips continues to outpace supply, creating favorable conditions for Korean chipmakers. Expectations that HBM shortages could persist into next year and beyond have prompted investors to aggressively increase exposure to semiconductor stocks.
The sharp rise in Samsung Electronics’ valuation is also seen as a symbolic milestone for South Korea’s capital market, highlighting the country’s growing influence in the global AI supply chain and advanced semiconductor industry.
