Samsung lost the crown in DRAM market after leading for 33 years

Samsung has led the DRAM market for the past 33 years, but earlier in 2025, for the first time in history, Samsung lost the crown and dropped to 2nd place. Rival SK Hynix outperformed Samsung's semiconductor arm in Q1 2025 thanks to its outstanding performance in the critical HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) segment.

Market analysts at Counterpoint Research say SK Hynix outperformed Samsung for the first time in the DRAM segment and secured a 36% market share in Q1 2025. At the same time, Samsung captured 34% of the market. The third-largest DRAM manufacturer was Micron, which captured a 25% share.

According to the research firm, SK Hynix dominated the HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) with a 70% market share. SK Hynix was able to secure the bulk of NVIDIA's HBM3E orders while Samsung struggled.

HBM has become a critical technology in the DRAM market. HBM fuels emerging AI technologies and is required for the latest AI servers.

Market watchers expect the DRAM market to perform similarly in Q2 2025 regarding both vendor share and the segment's growth. As such, SK Hynix will likely maintain its lead over Samsung in the DRAM business for at least another quarter.

Regarding the impact of tariffs, Counterpoint Research says that, in the short term, the segment “is less likely to be affected by any trade shock as AI demand should remain strong.” However, in the long term, there are “risks to HBM DRAM market growth stemming from structural challenges brought on by trade shock that could trigger a recession or even a depression.”

Manufacturing HBM is particularly tricky, and Samsung has struggled with the process. Samsung failed to enter NVIDIA's supply chain with its HBM3E modules. Last month, it was reported that Samsung's goal was to complete the Production Readiness Approval procedure for HBM4 chips in the first half of 2025 — six months ahead of schedule.