Samsung Electronics to become first Korean firm with cash assets over 200 trillion won

Samsung Electronics Co. is poised to become the first Korean company with cash assets of over 200 trillion won ($146.6 billion), helped by the artificial intelligence-led (AI) chip supercycle, industry data showed Sunday.

Cash and cash equivalents at the chip giant are estimated to have reached 214.8 trillion won as of the end of the third quarter, up 24.8 trillion won from three months earlier and nearly double the amount recorded at the end of the third quarter of 2025. Total assets owned by the company reached 791.8 trillion won as of end-September.

Samsung's current cash assets are estimated to be enough to fund shareholder returns of 90 trillion won to 110 trillion won in 2026, as well as record investments of over 100 trillion won this year in chipmaking infrastructure and research and development, including 84.4 trillion won to be spent on expanding its memory production facilities.

Samsung said it expects the semiconductor supercycle to continue through next year amid sustained investments in AI and a memory supply crunch while adding it plans to announce its shareholder policy for the coming year at a board meeting scheduled for January.

WAM