Key Highlights
- SK Hynix committed 11.95 trillion won (approximately $7.97 billion) for ASML’s extreme ultraviolet lithography equipment
- This represents the biggest single EUV purchase ever made public by any semiconductor manufacturer
- Delivery schedule extends through December 31, 2027, covering two manufacturing sites in South Korea
- Industry analysts calculate the purchase includes approximately 30 advanced EUV systems
- Market response saw SK Hynix shares climb 5.7%, while ASML gained 0.9% in European trading
South Korea’s SK Hynix has committed close to $8 billion in what stands as the semiconductor industry’s largest-ever equipment acquisition, securing critical EUV lithography systems from ASML. The massive investment responds to explosive growth in artificial intelligence hardware requiring high-bandwidth memory chips.
The memory chip manufacturer submitted regulatory filings on Tuesday revealing its purchase of 11.95 trillion won in extreme ultraviolet lithography equipment from ASML, with deliveries scheduled through the end of 2027.
This transaction establishes a new benchmark as the most substantial single EUV equipment order ever made public in the semiconductor sector.
South Korean regulatory authorities received the formal disclosure, providing rare transparency into one of the industry’s most significant capital equipment investments in recent years.
Deployment Plans for Advanced Manufacturing
The sophisticated equipment will support operations at two strategic locations. SK Hynix’s emerging facility in Yongin represents the primary destination, with the company pushing to achieve operational status by February 2027—ahead of initial projections. The secondary location is the M15X manufacturing complex in Cheongju, currently configured for high-bandwidth memory chip production.
NH Investment & Securities analyst Ryu Young-ho verified the equipment will enable production of both HBM and cutting-edge DRAM technologies.
Bernstein analyst David Dao calculated the order encompasses roughly 30 new EUV systems across the two-year delivery window. This figure exceeds his earlier projection of 26 machines.
Individual EUV systems carry price tags reaching hundreds of millions of dollars. These machines enable the ultra-precise patterning necessary for manufacturing today’s most sophisticated memory semiconductors.
ASML maintains exclusive global production capability for EUV technology. This market position transforms its order pipeline into a valuable indicator of future advanced semiconductor manufacturing trends.
The Netherlands-based equipment giant refrained from discussing SK Hynix’s specific plans, though it disclosed a 38.8 billion euro order backlog as of late 2025.
Financial Markets Respond
Shares of SK Hynix surged 5.7% at the close of Seoul trading on Tuesday. Momentum received additional support from a Korea Economic Daily report suggesting the company may pursue an American stock listing potentially valued at $10 billion.
ASML’s Amsterdam-listed shares advanced approximately 0.9% to 1,185.60 euros during midday European sessions.
The substantial order underscores the competitive intensity between SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics as both vie to supply cutting-edge memory components for Nvidia’s artificial intelligence processors. The rivalry has intensified efforts to secure EUV manufacturing capacity in anticipation of sustained demand expansion.
SK Hynix has substantially compressed its Yongin facility timeline, originally scheduled for completion later this decade, to accelerate production capabilities.
The $7.97 billion agreement effectively reserves a considerable portion of ASML’s near-term manufacturing output across two years.
While ASML maintains Samsung and TSMC as major EUV system purchasers, Tuesday’s announcement from SK Hynix surpasses all previously disclosed single-customer orders in magnitude.
