Gate News message, April 24 — SK Hynix reported a fivefold surge in quarterly operating profit to a record 37.61 trillion won ($32.4 billion) on April 23, driven by soaring demand from artificial intelligence and data centers. The windfall is fueling unprecedented employee bonuses, which analysts project could reach up to $878,000 per employee in 2027 if current earnings forecasts hold.
Under a 2025 labor agreement allocating 10% of operating profit to bonuses, SK Hynix employees received an average payout of 1.5 times their annual salary in 2025. Analyst estimates suggest average bonuses of $400,000 to $540,000 in 2026, and $878,000 in 2027 based on Macquarie Group’s profit projections of 447 trillion won. With a domestic workforce of roughly 34,000, even conservative estimates imply bonuses 20 times higher than the nation’s average annual income.
The concentration of wealth in the chip sector is stoking concerns over widening inequality. South Korea’s central bank warned that gains from technology sectors are accruing disproportionately to higher-income groups, creating a “K-shaped” economy where a few workers surge ahead while others languish. The BOK cautioned that such disparities could undermine economic sustainability. Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics also reported record-breaking first-quarter operating profit, surging more than eightfold.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
GSR Launches Inaugural Multi-Asset Crypto ETF on NASDAQ Under Ticker BESO
Gate News message, April 24 — GSR has unveiled its first multi-asset cryptocurrency exchange-traded fund, the GSR Crypto Core3 ETF, listed on NASDAQ under the ticker BESO. The fund marks the first multi-asset crypto ETF in the United States to combine active portfolio management with staking
GateNews27m ago
Bitcoin ETF Flows Turn Positive for Year, Bloomberg Data Shows
Bitcoin exchange-traded fund flows have turned positive for the first time in months across all metrics tracked by Bloomberg, according to Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas, who noted on Thursday that "every single rolling period we track is now positive." Ben Slavin, global head of ETFs a
CryptoFrontier50m ago
Tesla Q1 Revenue Rises 16% to $22.4B; Humanoid Robot Debut Planned for Mid-2026
Gate News message, April 24 — Tesla reported first-quarter revenue of US$22.4 billion on April 23, representing a 16% year-over-year increase. The company's global vehicle deliveries exceeded 358,000 units, while production topped 408,000 units.
Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory delivered 213,000 vehicl
GateNews57m ago
Galaxy Research: Strategy Bitcoin holdings fastest—will surpass Satoshi by November
Galaxy Digital’s research chief Alex Thorn said in an analysis posted on the X platform on April 23 that Strategy (MSTR)’s bitcoin holdings have become the largest bitcoin-holding institution globally, predicting that the company could most quickly surpass Satoshi Nakamoto’s estimated 1,096,000 bitcoins in holdings as early as November 2026.
MarketWhisper59m ago
TradFi Fall Alert: ZHIPU (ZhiPu 02513.HK) Falls Over 6%
Gate News: According to the latest Gate TradFi data, ZHIPU (ZhiPu 02513.HK) has dropped by 6% in a short period. Current volatility is significantly higher than recent averages, indicating increased market
GateNews1h ago
UAE's Top Banks Boost Provisions Amid Iran War Outlook
The UAE's two top banks—First Abu Dhabi (FAB) and Emirates NBD (ENBD)—each increased provisions in the first quarter of 2026 as precautionary measures following the outbreak of the Iran war on February 28, according to their Q1 earnings results released April 23, 2026. Despite higher provisions,
CryptoFrontier1h ago