Finance
South korea’s SK group chairman expects chip wafer shortage to last until 2030, eyes US ADR listing
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 16, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 17, 2026
Quick Summary
SK Group chairman Chey Tae‑won warns that the global chip wafer shortage will likely persist until 2030 amid surging AI demand, and SK Hynix is reviewing a U.S. ADR listing to widen its investor base.
SK Group chairman says wafer shortage to last until 2030, trying to stabilise memory prices
SK Hynix's Response to Global Wafer Shortage and Market Dynamics
By Max A. Cherney and Heekyong Yang
SAN JOSE, California, March 16 (Reuters) - South Korea's SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won said on Monday the global chip wafer shortage is likely to persist until 2030, as demand driven by artificial intelligence continues to outpace supply.
Insights from Nvidia's GTC Conference
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Nvidia's GTC Conference in San Jose, California, Chey said that SK Hynix is reviewing a potential U.S. ADR listing to broaden its global investor base, while its CEO may unveil plans to stabilise DRAM chip prices and the group explores alternative energy sources.
SK Hynix's Market Position
SK Hynix, the main high-bandwidth memory (HBM) supplier to Nvidia, ranks No.1 in the HBM market with a 57% share and holds a 32% share of the global DRAM market, making it the second-largest player, according to Counterpoint.
Impact of AI on Wafer Demand
"AI actually wants to have a lot of HBM, and once you make the HBM...we have to use a lot of wafers," said Chey, explaining the shortage of wafers.
"So we need some time to build up more wafers, at least four to five years. The current shortage could continue until 2030, so we expect more than a 20% shortage of the wafers," Chey said.
Strategies for Stabilising DRAM Prices
He said that SK Hynix would try to come up with a strategy to stabilise DRAM prices.
"So I cannot just announce right here, but I guess that our CEO is going to announce a new plan for how to stabilise the price of the DRAM," Chey said.
Global Expansion and Energy Challenges
On a potential U.S. ADR listing, Chey said the move could help expand SK Hynix’s shareholder base beyond Korea, increasing exposure to American and international investors and strengthening its global presence.
Chey also said tensions in the Middle East had created a lot of difficulties due to higher energy prices, pushing the group to seek other available energy sources.
Market Reaction
Shares of SK Hynix were trading up 3.5% on Tuesday morning in Seoul, versus the benchmark KOSPI's 3% rise.
(Reporting by Heekyong Yang, Max A. Cherney, Stephen Nellis and Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Ed Davies)
Key Takeaways
- •SK Group predicts wafer shortage may last until 2030 as AI‑driven demand outstrips supply, underscoring persistent capacity constraints amid industry boom.
- •SK Hynix is exploring a U.S. ADR listing to attract passive and ETF capital, improve governance, and narrow valuation gap with U.S. peers such as Micron.
- •Industry context: chip tool spending is rising through 2027, memory supply remains tight with HBM sold out through 2026, and global semiconductor market set to nearly double by 2030.
Frequently Asked Questions about South Korea’s SK Group chairman expects chip wafer shortage to last until 2030, eyes US ADR listing
1How long does SK Group expect the chip wafer shortage to last?
SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won expects the global chip wafer shortage to persist until 2030.
2What is driving the ongoing chip wafer shortage?
The shortage is mainly driven by increasing demand for chips due to advancements in artificial intelligence.
3Is SK Hynix considering a US ADR listing?
Yes, SK Hynix is reviewing a potential US ADR listing to broaden its investor base.
4What actions might SK Hynix take regarding DRAM chip prices?
SK Hynix's CEO may announce plans to stabilize DRAM chip prices.
5What other initiatives is SK Group exploring?
SK Group is also looking into alternative energy sources.