SK Hynix Sets Record With $26.5 Billion US IPO Amid AI Chip Boom

South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix has made history by raising $26.5 billion through its initial public offering (IPO) on the Nasdaq, marking the largest-ever US stock market debut by a foreign company.

The semiconductor giant sold 177.9 million American Depositary Shares (ADSs) at $149 each, as strong investor demand reflected growing confidence in the booming artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor market.

The record-breaking offering surpassed Alibaba's $25 billion IPO in 2014, making it the biggest foreign listing in US history. It also ranks as the second-largest IPO worldwide, behind SpaceX's $85.7 billion listing earlier this year.

Demand for the shares was more than seven times the number offered, underscoring investors' optimism about the future of AI-driven technologies.

SK Hynix has posted exceptional financial results in 2026, fueled by rising demand for high-performance memory chips used in AI applications. The company reported a first-quarter net income of 40.34 trillion won ($26.6 billion), while its share price in South Korea has climbed more than 229 percent since the start of the year.

Market analysts say the successful listing highlights the growing global appetite for AI investments, with semiconductor manufacturers continuing to benefit from the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence technologies.

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