Samsung Electronics emerged as the world’s largest investor among the top 10 semiconductor manufacturers in 2025, spending nearly 90 trillion won (US$59.2 billion) on capital expenditures and research and development (R&D), according to industry data released on Wednesday.
Figures compiled by CEO Score and reported by Yonhap News Agency showed that Samsung’s total investment reached 89.9 trillion won, underscoring the company’s commitment to strengthening its leadership in the highly competitive global semiconductor industry.
The investment consisted of 52.2 trillion won allocated to capital expenditures, including the expansion and modernization of semiconductor manufacturing facilities and production infrastructure, while 37.7 trillion won was directed toward research and development activities aimed at advancing next-generation chip technologies, improving manufacturing processes, and enhancing product competitiveness.
The substantial spending highlights Samsung’s strategic focus on maintaining its edge in memory chips, expanding its contract chipmaking business, and accelerating innovation in advanced semiconductor technologies amid growing global demand for artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and data-center applications.
With total investments approaching US$60 billion, Samsung outpaced all other major semiconductor companies worldwide, reinforcing its position as one of the industry’s most aggressive investors in future growth and technological innovation.
