Samsung Electronics invested record amounts in research and development and facilities during the first half of 2026. R&D spending reached an unprecedented 27.36 trillion Korean won. Facility investments hit a record high of 28 trillion won.
The company aims to maintain technological leadership in AI chips and advanced manufacturing processes. This aggressive spending follows a 220% jump in the average selling price of Samsung’s main memory semiconductors compared to the previous year.
The price surge increased Samsung’s DRAM market share as the world’s largest memory producer. However, rising mobile memory costs negatively impacted the profitability of the company's smartphone business.