Global Memory Chip Market Grows Fourfold in 2026 - Let's Data Science

According to Counterpoint Research, the global memory chip market is projected to grow fourfold by 2026, reaching approximately 1,500 trillion won (around $975 billion), up from 360 trillion won in 20... Read original →

The quadrupling of the memory market stems not from cyclical demand but a structural realignment driven by AI infrastructure arms races. Technologically, HBM3E and high-density DDR are forcing rapid scaling in advanced packaging, TSV, and CoWoS capacity—benefiting EDA and test equipment vendors first. NAND’s shift toward QLC/PLC accelerates, yet endurance limits may hinder edge AI adoption. On compliance, U.S.-led export controls on lithography tools have materially increased upgrade costs for Samsung and SK hynix fabs in mainland China, while Taiwan, China’s OSAT hub remains a geopolitical flashpoint. Strategically, Micron leverages CHIPS Act subsidies to expand HBM output, Samsung bets on GAA-integrated DRAM for generational separation, and SK hynix may lock in NVIDIA partnerships. Over the next 18 months, sustained high prices will fuel spot-market hoarding—but any slowdown in AI cluster deployment could trigger a sharper correction than in 2019, hitting aggressive capex players hardest.