May 28, 2026 /SemiMedia/ — Samsung Electronics plans to invest approximately $1.5 billion in Vietnam to build its first semiconductor test facility, aiming to address global memory chip shortages driven by surging AI demand.

The project, submitted to local authorities in April, is located about 60 kilometers north of Hanoi in an industrial park. Construction has already begun, with production expected to start in November 2027. The facility will primarily produce mature-node chips, including an annual capacity of 153.3 billion Gb of DRAM and 255.6 billion Gb of NAND flash.

While mature-node chips are not central to the AI supply chain, global manufacturers’ allocation of capacity toward AI chips has constrained traditional memory supply. Samsung said if the project proves profitable, it could reinvest up to $2.5 billion to build a second, similar facility.

It is currently unclear whether all regulatory approvals are finalized, but more than 200 Samsung engineers and staff have been on site since April to commence preliminary construction and setup.

Samsung has a long-standing presence in Vietnam, with cumulative investments exceeding $23 billion across multiple industrial projects. The new test facility will be located adjacent to Samsung’s existing smartphone and tablet manufacturing complex, further strengthening its semiconductor and electronics operations in the country.

Vietnam has become a major hub for semiconductor back-end operations, which are labor-intensive and less technically complex than front-end manufacturing. Multinational companies including Intel, Amkor Technology and Hana Micron have established assembly, packaging, and testing production lines in Vietnam. Chip testing, the final step in semiconductor manufacturing, ensures assembled and packaged chips meet quality standards before delivery.