Global memory chip market to quadruple in 2026: data - The Korea Times

The global memory chip market is projected to more than quadruple in 2026 compared to the previous year, driven by increasing investment in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. According to Co... Read original →

The AI infrastructure boom is triggering a full-stack redesign of memory technology. High-bandwidth solutions like HBM3E are not only pushing DRAM processes toward 1β/1γ nodes but also forcing rapid scaling in advanced packaging, TSV, and CoWoS capacity—creating a co-evolutionary chain across memory, packaging, and system design. Geopolitical friction intensifies: U.S. AI chip export controls indirectly inflate compliance costs for Korean and Japanese firms, while the concentration of CoWoS capacity in Taiwan, China exposes critical supply chain fragility. With SK hynix locking in premium positioning via its 16-High HBM3E, Samsung will likely accelerate GDDR7 development, and Micron may leverage U.S. manufacturing subsidies to capture North American data center share. Over the next 18 months, server memory’s revenue dominance (>56%) will cement an 'AI-first' allocation paradigm, squeezing consumer DRAM/NAND margins and accelerating structural consolidation—where technical moats and geopolitical resilience define pricing power.