Samsung Electronics' sales of sixth-generation high bandwidth memory chips, known as HBM4, have surpassed $1 billion just four months after launch, Yonhap reported Tuesday, citing industry sources.

The milestone came after the South Korean technology giant became the first company in the world to begin mass production and shipments of HBM4 chips in February. Industry sources expect Samsung's HBM4 revenue to exceed $1.2 billion by the end of June.

The company has rapidly expanded shipments of the advanced memory chips since launch, strengthening its position in the fast-growing high bandwidth memory market.

HBM chips are a critical component for artificial intelligence systems, enabling faster data processing and higher bandwidth for advanced computing workloads. Samsung's HBM4 chips are designed for next-generation AI accelerators, including Nvidia's Vera Rubin platform, which is expected to support future generative AI applications.

The global HBM market is still largely dominated by fifth-generation HBM3E products, but industry observers expect HBM4 to become a major growth driver as demand for advanced AI chips continues to accelerate.

Samsung is expected to sharply increase HBM4 shipments in the second half of the year, with annual sales projected to exceed $10 billion in 2026 — the product's first year on the market. Industry sources told Yonhap that such a figure would be unprecedented for a newly launched memory product in its first year of mass production.

The global HBM market is estimated to reach $54.6 billion this year, up 58% from a year earlier, according to industry estimates. (AA)