South Korean memory chipmaker SK Hynix announced plans for a major US public offering to be priced Thursday, generating approximately $28 billion and allowing American investors to purchase stakes through American Depositary Receipts. The move reflects explosive growth in the memory chip sector, with the company reporting quarterly revenues nearly doubled compared to the prior year amid surging demand from technology giants building AI infrastructure.

The IPO capitalises on a severe global shortage of memory components needed to power AI systems, a phenomenon the industry describes as "RAMageddon." Whilst hyperscalers race to build out data centres and major manufacturers pledge hundreds of billions in new production capacity, analysts caution that by the time these facilities become operational, memory demands could shift materially, potentially leaving the industry with oversupply and depressed pricing.