SK Hynix is pursuing a listing of American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) on the U.S. stock market. The company aims to complete the listing by year-end. This move, involving the issuance of new shares, is seen as a strategic effort to secure substantial funding for expanding advanced memory production capabilities and strengthening its position in the artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor market.
On Wednesday, SK Hynix disclosed that it had confidentially submitted a registration statement (Form F-1) to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday, as part of the process for listing on the U.S. securities market.
Earlier, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won revealed during a media briefing at NVIDIA’s annual developer conference, GTC 2026, that SK Hynix was considering a U.S. ADR listing.
ADRs are securities that allow foreign companies to trade their shares on U.S. stock exchanges, primarily used to increase accessibility for global investors. Companies like Taiwan’s TSMC and the Netherlands’ ASML have also gone public using the ADR method.
SK Hynix stated that while it is targeting a listing within 2026, the specifics of the offering size, method, and timeline are yet to be determined. The company added that the final decision on listing will be made after considering factors such as the SEC’s review of the registration statement, market conditions, demand forecasts, and other relevant circumstances.
The company also noted that it would provide further updates either when specific details are confirmed or within six months.
The expected size of SK Hynix’s ADR listing is estimated to be between 10 trillion to 15 trillion KRW (approximately 6.7 billion to 10 billion USD). SK Hynix plans to use the funds raised from the U.S. listing to boost its production capabilities for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and other cutting-edge memory technologies, aiming to solidify its leadership in the AI semiconductor market.
Coincidentally, SK Hynix is holding its annual shareholders’ meeting in Icheon today, where investors will be keen to hear any comments from President Kwak No-jung regarding the ADR listing plans.