On November 3, 2026, Tom’s Hardware reported, citing The Information, that an unnamed source described an alleged route for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) from South Korea through Hong Kong to Shenzhen, China. The account said low-performance processors were paired with the memory for transport, then the HBM was separated after arrival.
What the reported route involved
The account described HBM from Samsung Electronics and SK hynix attached to low-performance server processors. It said the boards traveled through Hong Kong to Shenzhen, where technicians allegedly recovered the memory. The account presented an allegation, not an established shipment.
The statement attributed to SK hynix
A YTN report published November 3 also described the alleged route. YTN reported that SK hynix said it complies with relevant export laws.
What the HBM3E estimate adds up to
An unnamed Shenzhen-based broker estimated that one HBM3E unit sold for about $4,000 in China at the time of the report, compared with several hundred dollars about a year earlier. Applying that estimate to the reported six to eight HBM units per AI processor gives $24,000–$32,000 in memory value per processor. That is a calculation from the reported figures, not a reported sale price for the processor or a broker’s profit.
In July 2025, Chris Miller wrote that most HBM paired with Huawei AI processors had been purchased or smuggled from abroad. That was broader context on HBM sourcing, separate from the later account of a specific route.
