(March 24): SK Hynix Inc plans to spend 11.9 trillion won (US$7.9 billion or $10 billion) on cutting-edge extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography chipmaking tools from ASML Holding NV, deepening a push into next-generation memory to sate quickening AI demand.
The order — valid through 2027 — marks one of the largest of its kind, underscoring how chipmakers are racing to secure the EUV gear essential to mass-producing the world’s most sophisticated semiconductors.
SK Hynix’s decision reflects the intensifying competition with Samsung Electronics Co to supply the most advanced memory required for Nvidia Corp AI accelerators. EUV machines can cost hundreds of millions of dollars apiece and are critical for advanced DRAM and high-bandwidth memory. Other major buyers of ASML’s gear include Samsung and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
For ASML, the deal reinforces its central role in the global chip industry. The company is the sole supplier of EUV systems, making its order book a key indicator of where advanced semiconductor production is headed. The Dutch company declined to comment.
The purchase highlights a broader trend: as AI reshapes computing, capital spending is shifting sharply toward the most advanced manufacturing tools, with leading players locking up supply years in advance.
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