The expansion of AI computing power demand is reshaping the competitive landscape of the global DRAM market. After more than a year of market share battles, Samsung Electronics has reclaimed the top position in the DRAM market in the second quarter of 2026, while competition between SK Hynix and Micron Technology is also intensifying, leading to a new round of adjustments in the global memory chip trio's dynamics.
According to the latest global memory tracker report for the second quarter of 2026 from market research firm Counterpoint Research, Samsung Electronics secured the number one spot globally with a 39% DRAM market share, ending a period of being overtaken by SK Hynix a year earlier. During the same period, Micron Technology, driven by a roughly fivefold year-on-year increase in DRAM revenue, held a 25% market share, closely trailing SK Hynix's 26%, with the gap among the three major memory makers narrowing further.
Samsung's comeback has been primarily fueled by rising prices of general-purpose DRAM and the expansion of its HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) business. In contrast, although SK Hynix saw a 214% year-on-year increase in DRAM revenue, its market share dropped to 26% from 39% in the same quarter last year. This reflects the impact of declining average selling prices for HBM and the phased pressure from price locks in earlier long-term supply agreements (LTAs).
Samsung benefits from DRAM price hikes and HBM business expansion
Counterpoint researcher Choi Jung-gu stated that Samsung's rebound has "reversed all previous declines." The company has not only benefited from the recovery in demand and price increases for general-purpose DRAM but has also been steadily expanding its market share in the HBM segment.
The report shows that in the second quarter of 2026, prices for general-purpose DRAM rose significantly compared to the first quarter, providing direct revenue support for Samsung's memory business. Meanwhile, the HBM market remains in a product upgrade phase. The existing HBM3E product prices fell year-on-year, and the mass production and shipment of HBM4 have been somewhat delayed, putting pressure on the overall HBM average selling price.
However, as AI server construction continues to advance, demand for high-performance memory is still growing rapidly. Counterpoint anticipates further room for DRAM price increases in the third quarter, which could lead to continued improvement in Samsung's memory business profitability.
SK Hynix faces share pressure as LTA price lock effects emerge
Although SK Hynix has maintained high growth driven by its HBM business, its market share has notably declined.
Counterpoint Research Director Hwang Min-sung pointed out that while SK Hynix's second-quarter performance hit record highs on both a year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter basis, its relative share of the global DRAM market decreased because Samsung and Micron grew at a faster pace.
The structure of the HBM business is a key influencing factor. Since SK Hynix was previously a leader in the HBM field, its HBM shipment volume and revenue proportion are higher than those of its competitors, making it more significantly affected by the decline in HBM prices.
Additionally, SK Hynix signed long-term supply agreements (LTAs) with customers earlier. As LTAs typically set price floors and ceilings, during a rapid upcycle in memory prices, the locked-in contract prices from earlier agreements may fall below current market prices. This can prevent the company from fully capitalizing on the price increase cycle during that phase.
HBM4 volume ramp-up marks a new phase in memory competition
However, as next-generation AI chip platforms advance, the HBM market landscape could still shift.
With the commencement of shipments for new GPU racks like Nvidia's Vera Rubin and AMD's Instinct MI455X, HBM4 demand is expected to gradually ramp up starting from the third quarter. As the proportion of high-end memory products increases, price pressure on HBM could ease, potentially further improving the profit structures of memory manufacturers.
For Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, AI server demand is becoming a key variable determining future market rankings. As the HBM4 competition unfolds, the competitive focus of the DRAM market will also shift from traditional memory cycles to a comprehensive contest involving advanced memory technology, customer bonding capabilities, and capacity deployment.
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