Aster DEX has launched on-chain perpetual contracts for Samsung and SK Hynix, giving investors up to 5x leveraged access to these two major South Korean technology companies. With this move, the companies—widely followed on traditional stock markets—are now more accessible to a broader user base via decentralized finance (DeFi) infrastructure.
Traditional stocks move to blockchain
With this new product, users can take positions based on Samsung and SK Hynix price movements without leaving the blockchain ecosystem. According to reporting, this initiative aims to build a bridge between traditional capital markets and decentralized trading. Aster DEX is recognized as a platform offering decentralized derivatives trading.
Mini glossary: Perpetual contracts are derivative products tracking price movements without a fixed expiry date. The synthetic structure means investors do not need to hold the underlying asset directly; the contract is designed to follow the asset’s price. This lets users open both long and short positions.
Aster stated on X that Korean stock contracts are now live on the platform, with up to 5x leverage offered for Samsung and SK Hynix trades.
The launch of Korean stock perpetual contracts on Aster, with up to 5x leverage for Samsung and SK Hynix, puts both companies at the heart of the AI memory sector, according to the announcement.
The strong financial results of these companies provide important context for market interest. Reports indicate Samsung’s semiconductor division achieved an operating profit of 53.7 trillion won in the first quarter of 2026, while SK Hynix posted revenues of 52.6 trillion won for the same period. Both companies are key players in high-bandwidth memory used in AI data centers.
AI memory supply pressures intensify
The article highlights growing concerns about a tightening supply of memory chips, mentioning that a Samsung memory executive warned of ongoing supply constraints for key products that could last until 2027. This could have significant effects on global tech supply chains.
Goldman Sachs described the supply-demand imbalance in DRAM memory as the toughest in the past 15 years. The news notes that assets facing scarcity risks often see higher volatility, which tends to attract attention from investors using on-chain trading platforms.
Access, leverage, and short selling options
Synthetic perpetual contracts offer standout features such as 24/7 trading access, no need for intermediaries, lowered geographic barriers, and the ability to take short positions. As a result, users worldwide can react to price moves in Asian tech stocks using standard crypto collateral.
To further drive adoption, Aster launched its RWA Sprint Season 1 campaign, aiming to reduce trading fees on selected real-world asset perpetual markets. This measure is said to support platform liquidity. It was also shared that Aster’s total perpetual trading volume to date has reached $1.26 trillion.
