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On August 11, the Binance contract platform launched four U-based perpetual contract trading pairs, including Kuaishou (KUAISHOUUSDT), Meituan (MEITUANUSDT), as well as the Southern Eastern SK Hynix Daily Leverage (2X) product (CSOPSKHYNIX2LUSDT) and the Southern Eastern Samsung Electronics Daily Leverage (2X) product (CSOPSAMSUNG2LUSDT). The Kuaishou and Meituan contracts support a maximum leverage of 20 times, while the two Korean semiconductor ETF products support a maximum leverage of 10 times, with a funding rate cap of ±2%, settled every eight hours, supporting a multi-asset model.Among them, CSOPSKHYNIX2LUSDT tracks the Southern Eastern SK Hynix Daily Leverage (2X) product listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (code 7709), and CSOPSAMSUNG2LUSDT tracks the Southern Eastern Samsung Electronics Daily Leverage (2X) product (code 7747), corresponding to the two major storage chip giants SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics with double long exposure. This is Binance's further expansion in the field of traditional asset perpetual contracts, bringing Hong Kong stocks and Korean tech stock leverage products into the crypto derivatives market. Binance reminds users that digital asset prices are highly volatile, and contract trading carries high risks; investors must bear the related risks themselves.

According to South Korean media ZDNet Korea, Samsung Electronics is adjusting the original purpose of its NRD-K Line 2 at the Giheung campus from a research and development facility to a wafer foundry line, with the main target product being the 2nm base chips required for NVIDIA's HBM. This production line is expected to be operational in the second half of 2028, adopting a "Send-Fab" model, which involves receiving wafers from other mass production lines and performing specific processes.NRD-K is the most advanced composite research and development campus built by Samsung Electronics to seize future semiconductor technology, with a total investment of approximately 20 trillion won, planning for three production lines, of which the first line is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024. This adjustment aims to proactively respond to the expansion of HBM demand driven by investments in AI infrastructure. Samsung plans to first apply the 2nm process to custom HBM and HBM5 to maintain performance advantages.Industry insiders point out that the scale of NRD-K Line 2 is relatively small, making it suitable for operation in the Send-Fab format. However, there are still about two years until the production line is operational, and the final purpose may be adjusted again based on market conditions. Samsung had previously considered using this production line for DRAM production, but after modifications to the relevant plans this month, DRAM capacity will be more concentrated in the Pyeongtaek campus. Equipment procurement orders have not yet been officially issued.

According to Gate market data, the South Korean KOSPI index rose 3.38% in early trading, Samsung Electronics rose 4%, and SK Hynix rose 5%.

According to Gate market data, the Nikkei 225 index closed up 553.84 points on August 12, an increase of 0.83%, reporting at 67,524.06 points.The South Korean KOSPI index also closed up 233.51 points on the same day, an increase of 3.68%, reporting at 6,579.04 points.Chip stocks surged significantly, with Samsung Electronics rising 6.68% and SK Hynix rising 5.54%.

According to a report by South Korea's Asia Economy, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund Temasek has decided to invest in the South Korean stock market for the first time, having selected Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix as investment targets, and is in contact with the South Korean government to discuss the timing of fund execution. Temasek manages assets of approximately 518 billion Singapore dollars (about 572 trillion Korean won), and this investment will be managed internally rather than through external asset management.Temasek believes that the storage semiconductor sector in the AI value chain is undervalued by the market. Recently, it has been increasing its investments in AI-related fields and already holds shares in semiconductor giants such as Nvidia, TSMC, and ASML, and is also one of the major institutional investors in OpenAI and Anthropic. Temasek plans to increase the proportion of AI-related investments from the current 6% to a maximum of 15% over the next five years. If executed smoothly, this will be Temasek's first direct entry into the South Korean stock market.

According to The Elec, Samsung Electro-Mechanics' investment schedule for semiconductor glass substrates has been delayed due to bottlenecks in the reliability assessment of customer prototypes. As a result, the construction schedule for the production line of GlaSSEM, the glass core joint venture between Samsung Electro-Mechanics and Dongyu Fine Chem, has also been postponed, and the timeline for ordering related equipment has become uncertain.The report states that GlaSSEM has failed to communicate the equipment order schedule to its partner manufacturers. Previous orders have been postponed from December last year to March and June this year, and this has happened more than three times. After June, no further schedule guidance has been provided. Industry insiders believe that the main reason is that global communication semiconductor customers have not passed the reliability assessment certification for glass substrate prototypes. Samsung Electro-Mechanics is still producing prototypes at its Sejong plant, and most of the suppliers for key processes required for building the mass production line, such as deposition, etching, laser drilling, and inspection, have already been selected.Since the prototypes need to be remade and resubmitted, the originally planned investment schedule will inevitably be further delayed. Samsung Electro-Mechanics had set a target for mass production in the second half of 2027 when establishing GlaSSEM earlier last month, but during last month's financial report meeting, this timeline was adjusted to 2028, and now the mass production time is expected to be further postponed.

According to ChosunBiz, Samsung Electronics' System LSI Division has introduced Anthropic's AI programming tool Claude Code for semiconductor design and verification work, with some task cycles shortened to less than one-tenth of the original time. In the verification of data connection structures for customer-customized SoCs, work that was originally expected to take over a month was completed in two days; an engineer with two years of experience completed USB device model development and Android driver adaptation in one day using Claude Code, whereas similar work typically required a month.Samsung opened Claude Code to software developers in May this year and later expanded it to the semiconductor professional development field. The System LSI Division has about 6,000 employees, while its main competitor Qualcomm has about 52,000 employees. Samsung is trying to bridge the manpower gap with AI tools. Meanwhile, Samsung's DS Division is promoting an "AI transformation," extending generative AI from research and development to the entire business process, including production, marketing, and support. The report also pointed out that Claude has exhibited behavior in some verification tasks where it disguised erroneous information as ordinary messages or modified design code without authorization. Samsung emphasized the need for strict control and manual review of the scope and results of AI tasks.

Park Chang-min from Samsung Electronics Semiconductor Research Institute's Foundry Process Development Team stated at the "2026 Next Generation Lithography + Patterning Academic Conference" that the company plans to apply High-NA EUV technology starting from the 1-nanometer (A10) process, aiming for mass production around 2030. Samsung is currently still using the existing 0.33 NA EUV multiple patterning scheme for processes at 2 nanometers and below, with plans to achieve mass production of 1.4 nanometers by 2029, and then advance to 1 nanometer.High-NA EUV will increase the lens numerical aperture (NA) from 0.33 to 0.55, providing higher resolution, which can simplify ultra-fine processes that originally required multiple patterning into single patterning, helping to reduce manufacturing costs, improve production efficiency, and enhance design flexibility. However, this technology is highly challenging, equipment is expensive, and it requires simultaneous upgrades in supporting material technologies. Park Chang-min expects that the 1.4 nanometer and 1 nanometer processes will still primarily use 0.33 NA EUV multiple patterning, after which High-NA patterning will become the core technology of the new generation processes.

The South Korean semiconductor sector experienced fluctuations during the trading session, with SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics' stock prices slightly retreating, but the related contract market remained active. According to Gate market data, SK Hynix (000660) reported $1002.56 during the session, down 0.21%; Samsung Electronics (005930) reported $162.15 during the session, down 0.64%. According to CoinGlass data, the SKHYNIX contract open interest reached $693 million, of which the SKHYNIX contract open interest on the Gate platform reached $131 million, ranking second in the entire network; the SAMSUNG contract open interest reached $45.2207 million, of which the SAMSUNG contract open interest on the Gate platform reached $6.19 million, also ranking second in the entire network.

According to Digital Asset, Samsung Electronics plans to introduce stablecoin account opening, overseas remittance, and payment functions in Samsung Wallet in some countries within this year.Subsequent global service expansion will be gradually promoted based on the regulations and market environment of each country.

According to Gate market data, Southern Double Long Hynix (07709) has fallen more than 14%, and Southern Double Long Samsung Electronics (07747) has fallen more than 10%.

According to South Korean media ZDNet Korea, Samsung Electronics' 4nm wafer foundry capacity is fully loaded until next year, mainly driven by a surge in HBM4 orders and unexpected orders for LPU "Grok3" from Nvidia for inference. To address the capacity bottleneck, Samsung is actively recommending the validated 5nm process as an alternative to customers. This process was originally aimed at automotive chips and is now expanding into the server and high-performance AI/NPU chip sectors.The report states that in the recent 3-4 months, demand for 5nm from customers has significantly increased, mainly from Chinese and Indian fabless companies that have shifted due to tight supply of advanced processes from TSMC and geopolitical factors. Additionally, inquiries from customers regarding the 2nm process are also ongoing.

According to South Korea's Digital Daily, Apple has recently negotiated with Changxin Memory Technologies (CXMT) on the supply prices of mobile DRAM such as LPDDR5X to reduce costs for the next generation of iPhones and smart devices, but was rejected. Changxin Memory insists on maintaining a price level comparable to or even higher than that of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, breaking Apple's usual bargaining advantage as an end manufacturer.The report analyzes that Chinese terminal companies such as Huawei and Xiaomi have locked in a large amount of Changxin Memory's production capacity through long-term high-price contracts, providing a solid price defense line in the domestic market. Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are facing reduced supply of general DRAM due to the continuous expansion of HBM capacity, combined with Changxin Memory holding the price floor, significantly alleviating the shipping pressure and price decline risks for Korean manufacturers in the general DRAM sector, allowing them to focus resources on high-value AI storage products such as HBM4, LPCAMM2, and eSSD. Industry insiders expect that in the second half of the year, the operating profit margins of the Korean semiconductor camp and global market pricing power will further strengthen.

According to Reuters, citing three informed sources, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are testing the etching equipment from Chinese semiconductor equipment manufacturer AMEC to assess its potential application in their factories in China, aiming to hedge against the risk of the U.S. potentially tightening export controls in the future. The testing began about two years ago, coinciding with rising uncertainty over whether the U.S. would allow Korean companies to import U.S.-made chip equipment to China.The report noted that although no decision has yet been made on large-scale deployment, verification from Samsung or SK Hynix would be an important commercial endorsement for AMEC. The gap in etching, deposition, cleaning, and other areas for Chinese equipment has gradually narrowed, with prices typically 20%-30% lower than similar overseas products. Samsung officially denied having tested AMEC equipment for its factories in China, while SK Hynix declined to comment. Deutsche Bank expects Northern Huachuang, AMEC, Tuojing Technology, and Shengmei Semiconductor to each exceed $1 billion in revenue by 2026, collectively expected to capture 25%-30% of China's approximately $28 billion wafer fabrication equipment market this year.

According to Gate market data, Zhongwei Company's stock price has risen over 10%. Media reports indicate that South Korea's Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are evaluating chip manufacturing equipment from China's Zhongwei Semiconductor, considering using it in their factories in China.

Analysts say that Samsung is accelerating its layout of digital asset infrastructure, planning to provide native stablecoin functionality to approximately 800 million Galaxy smartphones through Samsung Wallet, which is expected to become an important distribution channel for stablecoins like USDC. It is reported that Samsung announced at the Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event that it will integrate stablecoin-related features into future devices, including savings and payment accounts linked to fiat currencies. Currently, Samsung Wallet covers 61 countries, with nearly 19 million users in South Korea.Joseph Goh, head of the Asia-Pacific region for crypto investment bank Areta, stated that the core bottleneck for the widespread adoption of stablecoins is not liquidity, but user accessibility. "Distribution channels are the scarce asset, and Samsung has a large number of user entry points." He believes this move could propel Samsung to become a major distributor of stablecoins like USDC. This is not Samsung's first foray into the crypto space. The company launched a digital asset wallet through the Knox security module back in 2019, supporting users in storing assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum, and connecting to Ledger hardware wallets. Additionally, Samsung is strengthening its digital asset infrastructure layout. Samsung SDS CEO Lee Joon-hee previously stated that the company’s investment in Dunamu, the operator of South Korea's largest crypto exchange Upbit, is an important strategic layout for entering the digital asset infrastructure field, including stablecoins and AI payments. In May of this year, Samsung Securities, Samsung SDS, and Samsung Card agreed to acquire approximately 4% of Dunamu, Upbit's parent company, for about $408 million. Analysts believe that Samsung Wallet is responsible for providing user distribution entry points, while infrastructure layouts like Dunamu are responsible for underlying transactions and asset services, suggesting that Samsung may be building a complete ecosystem covering stablecoins, payments, and digital asset services.

According to Counterpoint Research data, in the second quarter of 2026, the global DRAM market saw Samsung Electronics regain the top position with a 39% market share, significantly rebounding compared to the same period last year; SK Hynix's share fell from 39% in the same period last year to 26%, despite a 214% year-on-year revenue growth; Micron followed closely with a 25% share, only 1 percentage point behind SK Hynix. Counterpoint pointed out that Samsung achieved a rebound driven by the growth in general DRAM demand and the expansion of its share in the HBM sector.General DRAM prices rose significantly month-on-month, while the average price of HBM declined year-on-year due to the drop in HBM3E prices and delays in HBM4 shipments. Changxin Storage saw a 716% year-on-year revenue growth, benefiting from strong domestic general DRAM demand and capacity expansion; Nanya Technology grew by 690% year-on-year, benefiting from the expansion of DDR/LPDDR4/5 supply. Counterpoint predicts that with the shipments of NVIDIA Vera Rubin and AMD Instinct MI455X, HBM4 shipments will significantly increase in the second half of the year, and the improvement in product mix is expected to support a rebound in HBM prices.

Goldman Sachs published a research report stating that Samsung Electronics' operating profit for the second quarter met expectations. The firm raised its earnings per share forecast for 2026 to 2028 by about 2% and increased the 12-month target price from 480,000 won to 490,000 won. The firm expects that demand for memory will significantly exceed supply, with the gap widening in 2027 and supply remaining tight in 2028.Goldman Sachs pointed out that the company has signed long-term agreements with major data center customers, which will provide better profit visibility and downside protection.In addition, the company aims to become a leader in the AI memory market, with HBM4 expected to account for over 60% of HBM revenue in the second half of 2026, and anticipates significant upside potential for shareholder returns. The stock is currently trading at a forecasted price-to-earnings ratio of 3.1 times and a price-to-book ratio of 1.2 times, with a shareholder return rate close to 50%.

Bloomberg data shows that the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) has experienced a volatility of 63% this year, surpassing Bitcoin's 48% during the same period, making it the market with the highest volatility among major national stock indices tracked by Bloomberg. The high volatility in the Korean stock market is mainly due to the excessive concentration of the market. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix together account for over 50% of the KOSPI index weight, making the index's performance highly dependent on the semiconductor sector.In addition, the leverage ETF market dominated by Korean retail investors has further amplified market volatility. The related leveraged ETFs and the two major chip stocks once accounted for over 70% of the daily trading volume in the Korean stock market. Data shows that Korean retail investors have cumulatively purchased over 110 trillion won (approximately 77 billion USD) worth of KOSPI stocks this year, but their behavior of chasing gains and cutting losses has also intensified market fluctuations, turning the Korean stock market into a high-leverage trading market centered around Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

According to Gate market data, the South Korean KOSPI index's decline expanded to 5% in the morning session, with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix's declines widening to 8%.