A few forces may be compelling the banks to help ProMOS, analysts say. For one, the Taiwan government pledged late last year to help domestic DRAM makers by working with banks to delay loan repayment schedules and ease lending.

The banks may also have made the loan out to keep a major borrower afloat. ProMOS held NT$89.5 billion in debt owed to Taiwanese banks as of the middle of last year, according to an estimate by the island's economics ministry. Were ProMOS to file for insolvency, the repayment of those loans would be jeopardized.