The high-bandwidth HBM4 chips are seen as a key component needed to scale-up the vast data centres powering the explosion in artificial intelligence.
US tech giant Nvidia -- the world's most valuable company -- is widely expected to be one of Samsung's main buyers.
Samsung said it had "begun mass production of its industry-leading HBM4 and has shipped commercial products to customers".
"This achievement marks a first in the industry, securing an early leadership position in the HBM4 market," the South Korean company said in a statement.
A global frenzy to build AI data centres has sent orders for advanced, high?bandwidth memory microchips soaring.
Samsung said its new chip was significantly faster than older models, exceeding industry standards for processing speed by more than 40 percent.
This would satisfy "escalating demands for higher performance", the company said.
Samsung Electronics stock was up more than six percent in afternoon trade on South Korea's stock exchange.
The South Korean government has pledged to become one of the world's top three AI powers, alongside the United States and China.
Samsung and its South Korean rival SK hynix are already among the leading producers of high-performance memory chips, and the two companies had raced to start HBM4 production.
Taipei-based research firm TrendForce predicts that memory chip industry revenue will surge to a global peak of more than $840 billion in 2027.
-Frontrunner-
Samsung Electronics posted record quarterly profits earlier this year, riding on massive market demand for its powerful memory chips.
The company has already earmarked billions of dollars to expand chip production facilities, pledging to continue spending in "transitioning to advanced manufacturing processes and upgrading existing production lines to meet rising demand".
An industry observer said the move would help Samsung seize the moment in the intensifying race for chips critical to AI infrastructure.
"Samsung struggled in the race for HBM3 chips, lagging behind its rival SK hynix," Kim Dae-jong, a professor of business at Sejong University, told AFP.
"But with the early production of HBM4, it has positioned itself as a frontrunner in the competition," he added.
Nvidia designs hardware that powers AI computing, and has an almost insatiable demand for memory chips made by the likes of Samsung and SK hynix.
The US-based company's almost singular role in the AI revolution has taken the world by storm since the introduction of OpenAI's ChatGPT in late 2022.
Apple, Microsoft and Amazon have also developed chips with AI in mind, but for now are stuck trying to get their hands on Nvidia's coveted products.
Major electronics manufacturers and industry analysts have warned that chipmakers focusing on AI sales will cause higher retail prices for consumer products across the board.
Dutch court orders investigation into China-owned Nexperia
Amsterdam (AFP) Feb 11, 2026 -
A Dutch court on Wednesday ordered a formal investigation into alleged mismanagement at Nexperia, a Chinese-owned chip firm at the centre of a global tug-of-war over critical semiconductor technology.
The firm, based in the Netherlands but whose parent company is China's Wingtech, has been the subject of a standoff between Beijing and the West, which threatened to hobble car manufacturers that rely on its chips.
"(The court) finds that there are valid reasons to doubt the sound policy and conduct of business at Nexperia and orders an investigation," said the Amsterdam-based Enterprise Chamber in a statement.
The investigation is expected to take several months.
The court had previously played a key part in the row over Nexperia in October when it suspended the Chinese CEO Zhang Xuezheng, also known as Wing, citing concerns over his management.
These measures remain in force with the opening of the probe, the court said.
"The director remains suspended. The appointment of a temporary director at Nexperia and the transfer of the shares in Nexperia remain in effect," said the court in a statement.
The court found there was "negligent conduct involving a conflict of interest."
In addition, the court said Wing changed the firm's strategy without consulting the other board members, refused to honour agreements with Dutch officials and crimped the powers of European Nexperia executives.
- 'Scorched earth' policy -
During hearings last month in the court, lawyers for Nexperia accused Wingtech of a "scorched earth" policy in its bid to wrest control of the company.
One of the firm's lawyers, Jeroen van der Schrieck, said Wingtech was "doing everything to destabilise Nexperia, already under pressure from a crisis situation".
Wingtech representatives responded that the Dutch intervention was "incomprehensible" and meant the row "degenerated needlessly".
Wing did not attend last month's hearings. His lawyer said the case had taken a toll on his health and he did not feel strong enough to appear in person.
In addition to the court order, the Dutch state waded into the row, using a Cold War-era law for the first time to effectively seize control of the company.
This sparked fury in Beijing, which responded by banning re-exports of the firm's chips. The chips are sent to China for finishing before being shipped to customers.
Carmakers warned of major production problems as the components are critical to onboard electronics.
China softened its stance in November, reportedly as part of a trade deal agreed by President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump.
In response, the Dutch government suspended its proposed takeover, taking some of the heat out of the row.
The firm is no stranger to regulatory concerns in the West.
The United States put Wingtech on one of its "entity lists" last December, meaning the government believed it was acting against US national security and foreign policy interests.
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