SK Hynix's upcoming Nasdaq listing on May 10 has attracted major investor interest, with Situational Awareness — a hedge fund founded by former OpenAI researcher Leopold Aschenbrenner — UK-based long-term investment firm Baillie Gifford, and technology investor Coatue expressing intent to acquire up to $7 billion of the company's American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), according to the Financial Times and other sources on local time. The investment commitments reflect strong confidence in SK Hynix's AI memory chip business, which has driven exceptional financial performance: 2025 revenue reached 97.1 trillion won (47% year-over-year increase) and profit more than doubled to 42.9 trillion won, while the stock price surged over 750% in the past year on the KOSPI market. The Nasdaq listing represents one of the largest New York stock exchange debuts by an Asian company, with SK Hynix planning to raise approximately $28 billion through the issuance of 17.79 million new shares as ADRs — approximately 2.5% of total outstanding shares — to fund semiconductor production facility expansion in Korea and purchases of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment from Netherlands-based ASML.
Three Major Investors Commit Up to $7 Billion in SK Hynix ADRs
Situational Awareness, Baillie Gifford, and Coatue disclosed their intent to acquire up to $7 billion worth of SK Hynix ADRs in connection with the May 10 Nasdaq debut, according to the Financial Times. Situational Awareness has gained attention for proactive investments in AI-related stocks, with founder Leopold Aschenbrenner — a former OpenAI researcher — known for his strong conviction in AI industry growth potential and track record in related equity investments. Baillie Gifford operates as a UK-based long-term investment management firm, while Coatue focuses on technology sector investments.
SK Hynix Reports 97.1 Trillion Won Revenue and 750% Stock Surge
SK Hynix recorded 2025 revenue of 97.1 trillion won, representing a 47% increase compared to the previous year, with profit reaching 42.9 trillion won — more than double the prior year figure. First quarter revenue totaled 52.6 trillion won, nearly triple the year-earlier amount. The company's stock price climbed over 750% during the past year on the KOSPI market, driven by rapidly increasing demand for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) used in AI data centers. Market capitalization expanded to 166.3 trillion won, equivalent to approximately $1.1 trillion in dollar terms.
Fundraising Allocated to Korean Facilities and ASML EUV Equipment
SK Hynix stated that proceeds from the stock sale will be directed toward production facility investments. The majority of funds will support construction of semiconductor manufacturing plants in Korea, with a portion allocated to purchasing EUV lithography equipment produced by Netherlands-based ASML. EUV equipment serves as essential infrastructure for advanced memory semiconductor production.
SK Hynix Issues 17.79 Million ADR Shares for May 10 Trading Start
The company is issuing 17.79 million new shares in ADR form through the Nasdaq listing, representing approximately 2.5% of total outstanding shares. The offering size was structured to enable controlling shareholder SK Square to maintain a stake exceeding 20%. American stocks are scheduled to begin trading in New York this Friday. The approximately $28 billion capital raise ranks among the largest New York stock exchange listings by an Asian company.
FAQ
What did SK Hynix announce regarding its Nasdaq listing on May 10?
SK Hynix announced that three major investors — Situational Awareness (a hedge fund founded by former OpenAI researcher Leopold Aschenbrenner), UK-based Baillie Gifford, and technology investor Coatue — expressed intent to acquire up to $7 billion of the company's American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) in connection with its May 10 Nasdaq debut. The company is issuing 17.79 million new shares as ADRs (approximately 2.5% of total shares) and plans to raise approximately $28 billion, with trading scheduled to begin this Friday in New York.
Why did SK Hynix's stock price surge over 750% in the past year?
SK Hynix's stock price climbed over 750% during the past year on the KOSPI market due to rapidly increasing demand for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) used in AI data centers. This demand drove exceptional financial performance, with 2025 revenue reaching 97.1 trillion won (47% year-over-year increase), profit more than doubling to 42.9 trillion won, and first quarter revenue totaling 52.6 trillion won (nearly triple the year-earlier amount).
How will SK Hynix allocate the funds raised from the Nasdaq listing?
SK Hynix stated that proceeds from the stock sale will be directed toward production facility investments, with the majority of funds supporting construction of semiconductor manufacturing plants in Korea and a portion allocated to purchasing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography equipment produced by Netherlands-based ASML, which serves as essential infrastructure for advanced memory semiconductor production.
