Samsung Electronics Co. ranked first among global semiconductor companies for capital expenditures and research and development spending in 2025 [1].
This level of spending underscores the intense competition in the global chip market, where massive capital injections are required to maintain a lead in manufacturing precision and next-generation architecture.
The company invested nearly 90 trillion won, which is approximately $59.2 billion [1], [2]. This total encompasses both the expansion of physical production sites and the pursuit of new technological breakthroughs.
Breaking down the expenditure, Samsung allocated approximately $34.2 billion toward facility investment [3]. These capital expenditures typically involve the construction of new fabrication plants, or the upgrading of existing machinery to increase wafer yield.
In addition to physical infrastructure, the company dedicated approximately $24.3 billion to research and development [3]. This investment focuses on innovating semiconductor designs, and improving energy efficiency for future chipsets.
Based in Seoul, South Korea, the company continues to lead the sector in total spending [2]. The scale of these investments reflects a strategic push to dominate the high-end memory and logic chip markets during a period of rapid industry evolution.
“Samsung Electronics Co. ranked first among global semiconductor companies for capital expenditures and research and development spending in 2025”
The scale of Samsung's 2025 spending indicates a high-stakes strategy to secure a dominant position in the semiconductor supply chain. By balancing massive facility expansion with significant R&D, the company is attempting to hedge against market volatility while ensuring it possesses the most advanced manufacturing capabilities in the world.
