Global DRAM revenue surged 80% sequentially in 1Q26 to reach an all-time high, driven by unprecedented demand and further boosted by memory pricing that also reached record levels during the quarter, according to Counterpoint Research. High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and growing LPDDR5 content in AI Data Center infrastructure also played key roles in driving this growth.
Samsung captured a 38% market share during the quarter, widening its lead over SK Hynix. The two players were in a close contest last year for leadership in DRAM revenue before Samsung reclaimed the top spot in 4Q25. Micron maintained its share steady in Q1. The company has been aggressively ramping up its capacity to capture additional demand and share in the market.
However, AI growth is also helping CXMT capture the growing domestic DRAM demand in China, from smartphones to servers. CXMT is also receiving a top-line boost from rising DRAM chip prices, which was the most notable development in Q1. CXMT's DRAM revenue surged more than 700% YoY, cementing its position as a solid No. 4 supplier with its market share more than doubling to 8%. The company is also gearing to raise significant capital via an upcoming IPO filing to ramp up its capacity for DRAM production and enter the AI Data Center HBM market with full force in the coming years.
DRAM average prices are continuously on the rise. Prices are expected to rise further in 2Q26 by 50% QoQ (including both HBM and commodity DRAM), signaling another blockbuster quarter. Companies like Samsung and Micron are moving quickly to expand capacity and reinforce their lead in next-generation technology in response to the competitive push from upcoming firms like CXMT. This expansion will have a positive ripple effect on the supply chain and memory shortage. The overall DRAM market is projected to grow more than 300% annually for the full year 2026.
Global DRAM revenue surged 80% sequentially in 1Q26 to reach an all-time high, driven by unprecedented demand and further boosted by memory pricing that also reached record levels during the quarter, according to Counterpoint Research.
A new study from Juniper Research has found that there will be 66 million corporate payment cards in use globally by 2030.
A new IBM Institute for Business Value study reveals that as AI moves from experimentation to enterprise-wide deployment, two-thirds of surveyed CIOs and CTOs report being held accountable for AI systems they do not fully control, while governance struggles to keep pace at scale.
