SK Hynix Overtakes Samsung in Q1 2025 DRAM Market Amid Industry Slowdown
Strong HBM momentum lifts SK Hynix to top spot despite global revenue decline
SK Hynix has officially taken the lead in the global DRAM market in Q1 2025, overtaking long-time leader Samsung, according to recent data from TrendForce. While the entire industry faced a 5.5% quarterly drop in DRAM revenue—totaling $27.1 billion—SK Hynix’s dominance in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) helped secure the top position.
SK Hynix: Strong HBM Performance Secures Top Spot
Despite a 7.1% revenue drop from the previous quarter, SK Hynix posted $9.7 billion in Q1 earnings:
- Q4 2024 revenue: $10.4 billion
- Q1 2025 revenue: $9.7 billion
- Market share: down slightly from 36.1% to 36.0%
The decline in revenue was mitigated by rising shipments of HBM3e, which gave SK Hynix a competitive edge amid declining contract DRAM prices.
Samsung: HBM Restrictions and Shipment Decline Impact Growth
Samsung Electronics, the previous DRAM leader, recorded a steep 19.1% quarterly revenue drop:
- Q4 2024 revenue: $11.2 billion
- Q1 2025 revenue: $9.1 billion
- Market share: fell from 39% to 33.7%
The sharp decline is attributed to:
- Export restrictions on HBM products, particularly to China
- Reduced volume of premium HBM3e shipments
- Broader weakness in contract DRAM pricing
These factors enabled SK Hynix to close the gap and take the lead, despite both firms reporting revenue losses.
Micron: Steady Growth Through HBM Expansion
Micron Technology claimed third place with a marginal 2.7% growth:
- Q1 2025 revenue: $6.5 billion
- Q4 2024 revenue: $6.3 billion
- Market share rose to 24.3%, up from 22.4%
Micron’s gains stem from increased HBM3e shipments and a stable performance in other DRAM segments.
Other Key Suppliers Show Mixed Results
The remaining DRAM vendors posted the following figures:
- Nanya:
- Revenue: $210 million (Q1 2025), up from $203 million
- 7.5% growth
- Winbond:
- Revenue: $146 million, up from $119 million
- 22.7% growth, the highest among smaller suppliers
- PSMC:
- Revenue remained flat at $11 million
Outlook for Q2 2025: Signs of a Rebound
Despite Q1’s downturn, TrendForce forecasts a potential rebound in Q2 2025, driven by:
- Recovery in application contract prices
- Increased shipment volumes from top-tier suppliers
This could stabilize the DRAM sector and determine whether Samsung can reclaim its lead or SK Hynix extends its dominance further.
