Last updated: August 15th, 2026 at 15:00 UTC+02:00
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Gotta spend money to make money.
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Samsung's dominance in memory chips, consumer electronics, smartphones, etc isn't an outcome of luck. It requires persistent innovation, research, and development. All of that requires money, a lot of it.
The company's latest regulatory filing has revealed that it has spent $19 billion on research and development so far this year. The amount could likely end up being higher by December.
The regulatory filing made in South Korea reveals that Samsung spent 27.3 trillion Korean won or roughly $19 billion on research and development from January through June 2026.
The R&D spending for the first half of this year is 51.1% higher than the same period last year, setting a record high for the six-month period.
R&D expenditure is separate from the investments Samsung Electronics makes in its production facilities. The filings revealed that more than $19 billion were also spent on facility investment in the first half of this year.
Samsung highlighted that these facility investments were necessary to develop the critical infrastructure required for long-term growth in key sectors, such as semiconductors and displays.
Semiconductor demand, particularly for memory chips, is only projected to grow further in the coming years. This would require sustained considerable investments in both R&D and facilities to ensure that Samsung can fully capitalize on this generational opportunity.
First Samsung device: SGH-E900
Adnan Farooqui is a long-term writer at SamMobile. Based in Pakistan, his interests include technology, finance, Swiss watches and Formula 1. His tendency to write long posts betrays his inclination to being a man of few words.
