Korea's reserves of this crucial chipmaking material will last two more months. Then what?

Helium is crucial for chipmaking. It's utilized in the cooling, leak detection and precision manufacturing stages of the chipmaking process itself. And, like oil and food fertilizers, helium's price has been going up (and up) and has now nearly doubled since the end of February.

Why? Well, a great chunk of helium (like the aforementioned oil and fertilizers) goes through the Strait of Hormuz which is currently not working at full capacity.

South Korea's stocks

As Reuters reports, South Korea's reserves of helium (which is a by-product of natural gas processing) could last until June (this June, not June 2027).

These will be mainly used by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, two of the world's largest players in the chipmaking business.

Per the information, the aforementioned companies are trying to pile up their helium stocks by importing from the United States. The higher price aside, "securing the stock right now is the top priority", reportedly said an anonymous South Korean source.

The "cushion"

While Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan remains officially optimistic about the first half of the year, the reality on the ground is more tense. Tech giants like Samsung and SK Hynix are currently leaning on a several-month "cushion" of helium reserves, but that safety net is under pressure.

Qatar – the world's second-largest supplier of helium – was recently forced to declare force majeure. This means that the industry is losing nearly a third of the global supply.

The effect will be felt soon

The crisis is already rippling through the global tech chain, as supply chain experts at Semicon China warn that "helium shortage is an absolute concern".

Beyond just price hikes, firms like VAT and Mycronic are reporting tangible production delays and extended lead times. If these Middle East tensions persist, the industry faces a grim choice: slow down production or shut down lines entirely.

These prolonged shortages will eventually hit everything from smartphones and electronics to the automotive industry.

You know who can provide helium?

Russia. But while Western sanctions block Russian helium from European and US markets, China is rapidly filling the void, with exports from Moscow to Beijing surging by 60% in 2025.

All in all, the RAMpocalypse may go from bad to worse.