SK Hynix makes history with biggest foreign US IPO, shares soar 13%: Why this is even bigger news for Indian investors

Shares of South Korean memory chipmaker SK Hynix rose 12.8% as they made their debut on Wall Street on Friday.

The company is already one of the largest in South Korea, along with Samsung Electronics, and is a member of the Kospi index. Even with a recent pullback, the country's Kospi index is up 77% so far this year and SK Hynix shares have more than tripled.

SK Hynix priced its American depositary receipts, or ADRs, at $149 each Thursday. They opened Friday at $170 and closed at $168.01. The offering of 177.9 million ADRs raised proceeds of $26.5 billion, making it the biggest-ever initial share sale in the U.S. by a foreign company. (An ADR is issued by a bank or broker and is a simplified way for US investors to own foreign stocks through the U.S. markets.)

“I would go with SK Hynix for the long haul,” says Rishabh Nahar, Partner and Fund Manager at Qode Advisors

He reasons: SK Hynix has a strong grip on the HBM market, with 58% share, and they’re Nvidia’s main partner for the latest chips. They’re also first to test out the new HBM4E. Once a supplier gets into a big customer’s plans, it’s tough to switch, so that advantage sticks.

Plus, SK Hynix’s Nasdaq listing is a big deal. Their management is clear that this move should help close the valuation gap with Micron, since US investors can now buy in directly, Nahar adds.

Noting that SK Hynix’s Nasdaq listing is a ‘major development’ for Indian investors, Viram Shah, Founder & CEO, Vested Finance, said, “Until now, if you wanted exposure to the biggest HBM maker, SK Hynix was on the Korea exchange, which is hard for most Indian investors to reach.”

But, now you can hold SK Hynix through the same US brokerage route you'd use for any American stock.

The availability of SK Hynix and Micron through US brokerages has made it easier than ever for Indian investors to gain exposure to the fast-growing memory and AI theme, Shah concludes.

Sanchari Ghosh is an Assistant Editor at Mint with over 12 years of experience in journalism, specialising in personal finance, DLT & DeFi, geopolitics and foreign policy, with a particular emphasis on how these areas intersect. <br> She writes extensively about how money works in everyday life—helping readers navigate personal finance decisions. <br> As AI reshapes investing behaviour, capital is increasingly flowing into decentralized ecosystems, redefining how assets are managed, traded, and valued. She focuses on explaining how money flows within frameworks like Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), DeFi protocols, and crypto markets—while also exploring what the future of money could look like in a trustless, programmable financial world. <br> She also focuses on immigration-related issues, simplifying complex topics around visas, passports, overseas financial planning, and the many practical challenges Indians face while moving or living abroad. <br> Alongside personal finance, Sanchari has a strong understanding of international politics, contemporary and historical conflicts, and global state decisions. She closely tracks how geopolitical developments influence economies, markets, and individual financial choices, bringing together finance and global affairs in her reporting. <br> She began her career as a desk editor, which gave her a strong foundation in news writing. Over time, her interest naturally shifted toward personal finance. Before joining Mint in 2020, she worked DNA, The Times of India, Outlook Money, BloombergQuint, and ETMoney. At Mint, she got an opportunity to expand her coverage to include immigration and geopolitical developments while continuing to closely follow personal finance trends and market movements.As a journalist, she is committed to accuracy, intellectual rigour, and fairness. <br> She is an English Major and her work took her across cities including Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune. Living independently from an early age gave her firsthand experience in managing life and money on her own. This practical exp...