Samsung’s HBM and DDR5 Face US ITC Patent Investigation

Samsung’s HBM and DDR5 memory chips are facing a legal hurdle in the United States. The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has launched an investigation into whether these memory products infringe patents. This comes after Netlist, an American semiconductor firm, filed a complaint on September 30, 2025.

Netlist files patent complaint, ITC investigates Samsung memory chips

According to a report from Chosun, ITC recently announced that it will investigate whether Samsung’s HBM and DDR5 violate Section 337 of the US Tariff Act. The investigation includes Samsung Electronics, Samsung Electronics America, Samsung Electronics Semiconductor America, as well as its customer, Google.

Netlist claims that Samsung’s HBM and DDR5 memory chips infringe its DRAM-related patents. For the uninitiated, HBM plays a key role in AI accelerators and high-performance computing systems, while DDR5 is the latest generation of DRAM for servers and PCs. The US firm has requested that the ITC issue a limited exclusion order and a cease-and-desist order. These measures (if granted) could restrict the import and sale of Samsung’s memory chips in the US. They could also affect products that use the memory, such as an AI accelerator.

Industry watchers note that including Google in the investigation appears to be a strategic move by Netlist to put pressure on Samsung. However, the investigation is unlikely to block Samsung’s memory exports to the US. Since many US tech companies depend on Samsung memory, it will be tough for the ITC to impose a broad import ban. Meanwhile, the Korean firm is planning to supply HBM4 memory for Nvidia’s next-gen AI accelerator and Google’s TPUs.

“The patent dispute with Netlist is an extension of an ongoing lawsuit,” said Samsung. “The initiation of an ITC investigation is a routine procedure that occurs when a lawsuit is filed.” Netlist has been pursuing patent claims against Samsung since 2020. We will let you know when the new developments about the ITC investigation surface on the web.