SK Hynix Applies for U.S. Listing: Aims to Raise Up to $14.4 Billion, Potentially the Largest U.S. IPO in Five Years

According to 1M AI News monitoring, South Korean storage chip giant SK Hynix has secretly filed for a US IPO, aiming to complete listing on the US stock market in the second half of 2026. Insiders revealed that the company plans to issue around 2%-3% of its total shares, with a financing scale ranging from $9.6 billion to $14.4 billion based on the current market value. This IPO is expected to be the largest US listing deal in five years, surpassing the $4.6 billion IPO of South Korean e-commerce platform Coupang in 2021.

SK Hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung stated at the annual shareholders' meeting that the US listing is a move to reevaluate the company's value in the world's largest stock market. The raised funds will be used for the construction of chip factories in Icheon, South Korea, and Indiana, USA. This action is also related to the background of the US imposing tariffs on foreign chip manufacturers investing in America. US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick previously mentioned that South Korean and Taiwanese chip manufacturers that have not expanded production in the US may face tariffs of up to 100%.

The Korea Corporate Governance Forum has expressed opposition to the new share issuance, believing that this move will dilute the existing shareholders' equity. The forum suggested that the company first repurchase 10%-15% of its stocks before proceeding with the US IPO.