Samsung's stock approaches a record high

Samsung Electronics Co.’s shares have surged to a record high, fueled by strong investor optimism over its potential in AI chips and renewed confidence in its core memory business.

According to the company’s October 10 stock report, Samsung’s stock jumped 6% to 94,300 won in Seoul as markets reopened after a week-long holiday. As the largest company in South Korea by market capitalization, its shares have increased by 76% this year, boosting its market value to $390 billion. 

Samsung’s advanced AI approach escalates its shares to an all-time high

Following Samsung’s impressive outlook, investors have become more optimistic that the company will catch up with its smaller competitor, SK Hynix Inc., in offering high-bandwidth memory to Nvidia Corp. and other firms for AI applications. Another factor contributing to this positive trend is a major supply deal with OpenAI, which involves both Samsung and SK Hynix Inc.

Shawn Oh, an equities trader at NH Investment & Securities Co., commented on the topic of discussion, highlighting that the tech giant’s discount is fading when it comes to providing Nvidia with high-bandwidth memory and continuous significant investments in AI.

According to the equities trader, reports indicate that Nvidia and Samsung are close to finalizing talks regarding supply volumes, prices, and timelines.

On the other hand, the traditional DRAM and NAND chip markets, which Samsung leads, are expected to enter a “supercycle” as the supply shortage increases price expectations.

During the week-long market holiday in South Korea, which ended on October 6, analysts from Morgan Stanley raised their early price target for Samsung to 111,000 won, reflecting a 14% increase. A notable surge in the tech company’s memory chip prices for the fourth quarter and a strong demand for its products, which is anticipated to continue until 2026, triggered this increase. The analysts believe these factors suggest a potential for substantial breakthroughs in the future.

Meanwhile, it is worth noting that Samsung’s shares ended September with the most remarkable monthly performance since 2020 after struggling with a low position in the AI global surge ranking early this year. 

The tech company’s shares had also attained an all-time high in 2021. Unlike the current peak driven by foreign investors, local retail investors had fueled this surge in stock during the pandemic.

OpenAI strikes significant deals with Samsung and SK Hynix in the AI boom era

Samsung and SK Hynix’s considerable stock escalation has generally amounted to 145% in 2025. This has positioned South Korea as one of the best-performing stock markets in the year. Additionally, the benchmark Kospi, a crucial stock market index that tracks the performance of big firms based in South Korea, has also climbed 50% in 2025.

This outstanding accomplishment was observed after the tech companies struck early deals to provide chips for OpenAI’s Stargate project, enhancing their position in AI memory. Regarding the deal, OpenAI’s Sam Altman agreed to include Samsung and SK Hynix in his project to build data centers. 

As previously reported by Cryptopolitan, Altman met with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and the chairmen of Samsung and SK Hynix at the presidential office in Seoul last week, before the announcement. OpenAI had collaborated with SoftBank and Oracle in January to unveil the $500 billion Stargate project.

Notably, the worldwide initiative involves major industry players, such as Nvidia Corp. and Oracle Corp. The companies said the US startup could require as many as 900,000 wafers a month as Stargate expands.

This demand estimate exceeds twice the worldwide current HBM (high-bandwidth memory) capacity, which is indicative of the adaptability and scope of Stargate and its potential contribution to global AI development in a rapidly evolving market, said SK Group.

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