BlackRock’s increased exposure comes as global investors seek to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom, with SK hynix emerging as a dominant supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) used in AI accelerators.
A disclosure filed with Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service showed that BlackRock Fund Advisors and its related parties held 36,407,157 shares in SK hynix as of Feb. 10, equivalent to a 5.00 percent stake.
The holding rose by 100,808 shares, or 0.01 percentage point, from the previous report on Feb. 9, when the group owned 36,306,349 shares, or 4.99 percent. The total number of voting shares outstanding stood at 728,002,365.
The filing noted that the shares are owned by various funds managed by BlackRock and its affiliates, with the firm acting as an investment adviser and deemed holder. It also stated that none of the individual funds or clients independently holds a 5 percent stake.
This marks the first time since May 9, 2018 that BlackRock’s aggregate holding in SK hynix has exceeded the 5 percent level.
Market observers say international funds have been shifting capital away from the U.S. toward higher-return, technology-focused Asian markets, particularly South Korea and Japan.
Korean memory chipmakers have emerged as key beneficiaries of the trend, riding what analysts describe as a once-in-decades boom driven by extremely tight supply and explosive demand for AI-related memory products, especially HBM.
Both SK hynix and Samsung Electronics have posted strong rallies this year, rising about 35 percent and over 50 percent, respectively, on expectations of sustained earnings growth fueled by AI investment.
Compared with early 2025, SK hynix’s share price has risen nearly fivefold, while Samsung Electronics’ stock has more than tripled.
As of 2:00 p.m.. SK hynix shares climbed 6.38 percent to 951,500 won, moving closer to the symbolic 1-million-won mark.
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