SK Hynix shares rose Friday as the South Korean memory-chip maker began trading on the Nasdaq exchange [1, 2].
The listing represents a strategic effort by the company to raise significant capital and address the "Korea discount," a trend where South Korean firms trade at lower valuations than global peers [1, 3].
The company raised $26.51 billion through an American Depositary Receipt (ADR) offering [1]. This transaction stands as the largest share sale by a foreign company on Wall Street [1, 2].
Market analysts said the company's total market value is now near $1 trillion [2]. The debut occurred on July 10, 2026, amid a period of high demand for memory chips used in artificial intelligence [3, 4].
By listing on the Nasdaq, SK Hynix gains direct access to U.S. investors and increased visibility in the global tech sector [1, 3]. The move allows the company to benchmark its valuation against other semiconductor giants listed in the United States [3].
Nasdaq futures had slipped slightly ahead of the debut, though SK Hynix shares showed strength as trading commenced [3]. The company said it intends to use the proceeds to bolster its technological infrastructure and maintain its competitive edge in the memory-chip market [1].
“The largest share sale by a foreign company on Wall Street”
This listing is a significant test of whether U.S. capital markets can provide a valuation premium that offsets the structural discounts typically applied to South Korean equities. By securing over $26 billion, SK Hynix is positioning itself to aggressively fund the hardware requirements of the AI boom while shifting its financial center of gravity toward Wall Street.
