AI chip arms race escalates! SK Hynix splurges nearly $8 billion to acquire ASML ( ASML.US ) EUV lithography machines

CITIC Financial APP has learned that SK Hynix plans to invest 11.9 trillion Korean won (approximately $7.9 billion USD) to purchase advanced extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment from ASML (ASML.US) to deepen its layout in the next-generation memory field and meet the growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI).

This order is valid until 2027 and is one of the largest orders of its kind, highlighting how chip manufacturers are competing to secure the EUV equipment necessary to produce the world’s most advanced semiconductors.

SK Hynix’s decision reflects intensified competition with Samsung Electronics, as both are vying to supply the most advanced memory for NVIDIA’s AI accelerators. A single EUV lithography machine can cost hundreds of millions of dollars and is crucial for producing advanced DRAM and high-bandwidth memory (HBM). Other major buyers of ASML equipment include Samsung and TSMC.

For ASML, this deal reinforces its core position in the global chip industry. As the sole supplier of EUV systems, the company’s order book has become a key indicator of the trend toward advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

This procurement highlights a broader trend: as AI reshapes the computing landscape, capital expenditures are shifting significantly toward the most advanced manufacturing tools, with leading companies locking in supply years in advance.