SK Hynix Inc., already commanding a 70% share of the high bandwidth memory market, signed an agreement with Naver Cloud Corp. to test next-generation memory technologies that could extend its dominance beyond the current HBM boom.
The memorandum of understanding announced Tuesday centers on verifying compute express link and processing-in-memory solutions in Naver Cloud’s data centers. CXL efficiently links CPUs, GPUs and memory for large-scale computing, while PIM integrates processing functions directly into memory chips to reduce data bottlenecks.
The partnership comes as SK Hynix faces questions about growth sustainability. The company has sold out HBM supply through 2025 and most of 2026, but competitors are catching up. Samsung is struggling to pass Nvidia’s qualification tests while working to challenge SK Hynix’s position.
The collaboration appears designed to provide validation credentials for approaching global hyperscale customers like Amazon and Microsoft. These companies require rigorous and lengthy verification processes before selecting suppliers.
Notably, Samsung already partnered with NAVER in 2022 to develop similar AI-optimized semiconductor solutions, including PIM-enabled HBM and CXL technologies. SK Hynix’s move suggests intensifying competition to secure positions in post-HBM memory markets as the current AI memory shortage eventually normalizes.
