The world’s top three DRAM manufacturers, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Micron Technology, are all facing fines from Chinese antitrust regulators. The trio have allegedly conspired to fix prices of DRAM, and could be fined up to US $8 billion.
Regulators had visited Micron in May 2018, looking into the sudden surge in DRAM pricing. The result of that visit lead to further investigations into both Samsung and SK Hynix. Collectively, the three companies hold some 90% of the market share.
If found to be guilty of breaching antitrust laws, the companies face fines between $800 million and $8 billion. Although this number is calculated based on the price of DRAM sales in China between 2016 and 2017. There may also be a chance that it is higher if regulators attempt to make an example of them.
China is not the first country to investigate DRAM companies for price fixing. The US fined the three vendors, along with Infineon and Elpida Memory for the same conspiracy in 2002. Although since then Infineon and Elpida have ceased to exist as independent entities.
Full Content: DigiTimes
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
Court Order Temporarily Halts U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Layoffs
Feb 16, 2025 by
CPI
Nokia Poised to Gain EU Approval for $2.3 Billion Infinera Acquisition
Feb 16, 2025 by
CPI
Turkey Fines Frito-Lay in Antitrust Crackdown
Feb 16, 2025 by
CPI
Advances Bill to Strengthen Antitrust Enforcement Through AI
Feb 16, 2025 by
CPI
Intel Faces Potential Breakup as Broadcom and TSMC Explore Deals
Feb 16, 2025 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – International Criminal Enforcement
Jan 23, 2025 by
CPI
The Antitrust Division’s Recent Work to Combat International Cartels
Jan 23, 2025 by
Emma Burnham & Benjamin Christenson
Information Sharing: The New Frontier of U.S. Antitrust Enforcement
Jan 23, 2025 by
Brian P. Quinn, Casey Kovarik & Michael Tubach
The Key Role of Guidelines on Exchanges of Information Among Competitors and the Divergent Transatlantic Paths
Jan 23, 2025 by
Rosa Abrantes-Metz & Albert Metz
Leniency, Whistleblowers, and Compliance
Jan 23, 2025 by
Richard Powers, Tara O’Malley & Cory Gordon