ASMPT (00522) surged more than 4% in early trading, reaching HK$77.35 with a turnover of HK$31.57 million. Reports indicate that SK Hynix has placed an order with Singapore-based ASMPT for new thermal compression bonding (TCB) machines to support HBM4 production.

Last month, SK Hynix ordered seven TCB systems from ASMPT, each equipped with two bonding heads. The unit price per system is approximately 4 billion KRW, bringing the total contract value to around 30 billion KRW (about 150 million RMB).

Industry insiders note that SK Hynix's decision stems from internal disputes between South Korean equipment suppliers Hanmi Semiconductor and Hanwha Semiconductor over patent conflicts. SK Hynix plans to order an additional 100 TCB systems for HBM4 production by March 2026 to support the expansion of its Cheongju M15X wafer plant.

This move is expected to intensify competition among ASMPT, Hanmi, and Hanwha for future orders. However, if Korean suppliers fail to resolve their patent disputes promptly, ASMPT may further expand its market share and potentially dominate HBM4 equipment supply.