Japan

DRAM Market Surges 59%: How AI Infrastructure Demand Is Driving Up Average Selling Prices

The DRAM market expanded by 59.5% quarter-over-quarter to $154.7 billion in Q2 2026, driven by strong demand for HBM3E, LPDDR5X, and high-capacity RDIMMs for AI applications.

AsiaAI Publisher · September 14, 2026 · 2 min read · Source: EE Times Japan · Issue #96

This story ran in Issue #96, alongside three other stories.

Semiconductors & Hardware

What this means

Why it matters: The continued explosion in DRAM revenues, particularly the HBM segment, demonstrates that AI demand is still outpacing supply in the most advanced memory types. Samsung’s early move to HBM4 production and Micron’s strategic focus on high-ASP server DRAMs are paying off. SK hynix, despite having the highest HBM proportion of its total bit shipments, saw its overall ASP growth lag, which suggests its HBM gains are being somewhat diluted by other parts of its portfolio relative to its competitors. The strong showing by China’s CXMT also indicates their persistent, state-backed drive to capture more of the memory market.

For Western readers: Western companies relying on advanced DRAM for AI servers should prepare for continued price volatility and supply constraints through 2027, as leading manufacturers prioritize high-margin products and shift to advanced process nodes rather than expanding overall wafer input.

What to watch: Monitor the contract price trends for conventional DDR4/DDR3 and consumer DRAM in Q3 2026, as any softening there could signal a rebalancing of manufacturer priorities.

The DRAM market expanded by 59.5% quarter-over-quarter to $154.7 billion in Q2 2026, driven by strong demand for HBM3E, LPDDR5X, and high-capacity RDIMMs for AI applications. Samsung Electronics increased its market share to 39.4%, maintaining its lead, while China’s CXMT nearly doubled its sales, reaching a 9.5% share.

This significant growth reflects the intense demand for memory components fueled by AI infrastructure buildouts, particularly for LLM training and inference. The report from Taiwan’s TrendForce highlights the ongoing supply-demand imbalance, with limited bit shipment growth despite soaring revenues, pushing up average selling prices.

For the wider picture, see Japan Semiconductor Ecosystem.

Original source (Japanese)

DRAM市場、26年2Qは59.5％増　首位Samsungシェア拡大

EE Times Japan

This story appeared in AsiaAI.FYI Issue #96.

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