AI wave ignites memory market: DRAM jumps by 171%
The chip market is hot again, but from an angle you might not have considered.
The AI wave sweeping the world is creating a severe shortage of DRAM and DDR5 memory, and the prices of these chips are soaring at an unprecedented rate.
According to TrendForce data, DRAM prices in Q3 2025 climbed by 171.8% compared to the previous year – more than the rise in gold prices during the same period.
ADATA Chairman, Jinlibai, describes the situation as "the beginning of a multi-year upturn cycle," and notes that the fourth quarter of the year will be the "takeoff point" for memory prices.
According to him, an unprecedented industrial boom is expected in 2026.
DDR5 memory – an absolute supply crisis. According to DigiTimes, memory manufacturers in Korea encountered a situation of "no stock even if there's money" – companies stopped providing quotes altogether.
The shortage is so severe that customers are required to pre-register for supply starting in November.
Since September, prices for 16Gb DDR5 have jumped from $7-8 to $13 – a leap of over 60%.
The forecast?
Continued strong increases as demand for AI systems and servers intensifies.
Samsung and SK Hynix at the heart of the storm. Samsung raised chip prices for the fourth quarter far beyond expectations, especially in the server sector.
- RDIMM memory: an increase of 40–50% (about 30% higher than the previous forecast)
- Enterprise SSD memory: an increase of 15–35%
However, even after the price increases, the order fulfillment rate from cloud giants stands at only about 70%, indicating demand far stronger than the ability to supply.
Inventory war and a 4-year growth forecast. IT and cloud service companies are now signing long-term contracts (2-3 years) with Samsung and SK Hynix to ensure stable supply.
Analysts estimate that the new "upturn cycle" will last at least four years, with demand driven by the race for AI.
According to Jinlibai: "This is the first time in three decades that all four types of storage – DRAM, NAND, SSD, and HDD – are experiencing shortages and price increases simultaneously. The fourth quarter of 2025 will be the beginning of the truly great boom." Is the industry on the cusp of a powerful demand cycle – and this time the key is not gold, but memory?
We will continue to monitor