--- title: "Samsung Reclaims Top Global DRAM Spot in Q2 2026 with 39% Market Share" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/294806545.md" description: "In the second quarter of 2026, Samsung Electronics recaptured the number one position in the DRAM market with a 39% share, ending SK Hynix's previous lead. Micron Tech followed closely behind SK Hynix (26%) with a 25% share, narrowing the gap among the top three players. Samsung benefited from rising prices for commodity DRAM and the expansion of its HBM business. Although SK Hynix recorded record-high revenue, its market share faced pressure due to declining average selling prices for HBM and price locks in early long-term agreements (LTAs)" datetime: "2026-08-04T10:30:37.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/294806545.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/294806545.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/294806545.md) --- # Samsung Reclaims Top Global DRAM Spot in Q2 2026 with 39% Market Share The continuous expansion of AI computing power demand is reshaping the competitive landscape of the global DRAM market. After more than a year of fierce competition for market share, Samsung Electronics reclaimed the top position in the DRAM market in the second quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, competition between SK Hynix and Micron Tech has further intensified, as the triopoly of global memory chip giants undergoes a new round of adjustments. According to the latest Global Memory Tracker report for the second quarter of 2026 released by market research firm Counterpoint Research, **Samsung Electronics ranked first globally with a 39% DRAM market share, ending the situation where it was surpassed by SK Hynix a year ago.** During the same period, Micron Tech, driven by a roughly five-fold year-over-year increase in DRAM business revenue, closely trailed SK Hynix’s 26% share with its own 25% share, further narrowing the gap among the three major memory manufacturers. Samsung’s overtaking was primarily driven by rising prices for commodity DRAM and the expansion of its HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) business. In contrast, although SK Hynix saw its DRAM revenue surge by 214% year-over-year, its market share dropped from 39% in the same period last year to 26%, reflecting phase-specific pressure from declining average selling prices for HBM and price locks in early long-term agreements (LTAs). ## Samsung Benefits from DRAM Price Hikes as HBM Business Expands Simultaneously Counterpoint analyst Choi Jeong-gu stated that Samsung’s rebound “reversed all previous downward trends.” **The company not only benefited from the recovery in demand and rising prices for commodity DRAM but also continued to expand its market share in the HBM sector.** The report showed that commodity DRAM prices rose significantly in the second quarter of 2026 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 year-over-year decline in prices for existing HBM3E products, coupled with delays in the mass production and shipment of HBM4, put pressure on overall HBM average selling prices. However, as the construction of AI servers continues to advance, demand for high-performance memory is still growing rapidly. **Counterpoint expects that DRAM prices will have further room to rise in the third quarter, and Samsung’s memory business profitability is poised to continue improving.** ## SK Hynix Market Share Under Pressure as LTA Price Locks Take Effect Although SK Hynix maintained rapid growth relying on its HBM business, its market share experienced a notable decline. Counterpoint Research Director Hwang Min-sung pointed out that **SK Hynix’s performance in the second quarter hit record highs both year-over-year and quarter-over-quarter. However, because Samsung and Micron grew at faster rates, the company’s relative share in the global DRAM market decreased.** The HBM business structure was a significant influencing factor. As SK Hynix had previously led in the HBM sector, its HBM shipment volume and revenue proportion were higher than those of its competitors, making it more susceptible to the impact of falling HBM prices. Furthermore, **SK Hynix signed long-term agreements (LTAs) with customers earlier than its peers.** Since LTAs typically set price floors and ceilings, **contract prices locked in during the early stages may be lower than current market prices during periods of rapid memory price increases, preventing the company from fully benefiting from the price hike cycle in the short term.** ## HBM4 Volume Ramp-Up Marks New Phase in Memory Competition Nevertheless, the HBM market landscape may still change as next-generation AI chip platforms advance. With the start of shipments for new-generation GPU racks such as NVIDIA’s Vera Rubin and AMD’s Instinct MI455X, **demand for HBM4 is expected to gradually ramp up starting in the third quarter.** As the proportion of high-end memory products increases, pressure on HBM prices is expected to ease, potentially further improving the profitability structure of memory manufacturers. For Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron Tech, AI server demand is becoming a key variable determining future market rankings. As competition for HBM4 unfolds, the focus of competition in the DRAM market will shift from traditional memory cycles to a comprehensive contest involving advanced memory technologies, customer binding capabilities, and capacity layout. ### Related Stocks - [SKHY.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SKHY.US.md) - [MU.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/MU.US.md) - [MUU.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/MUU.US.md) - [SKHA.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SKHA.US.md) - [SKHX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SKHX.US.md) - [SKHU.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SKHU.US.md) - [SKUU.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SKUU.US.md) - [MUD.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/MUD.US.md) - [MULL.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/MULL.US.md) - [SK.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SK.US.md) - [07709.HK](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/07709.HK.md) - [MUYY.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/MUYY.US.md) - [MUZ.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/MUZ.US.md) - [03121.HK](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/03121.HK.md) - [SSNGY.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SSNGY.US.md) - [NVDA.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/NVDA.US.md) - [AMD.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AMD.US.md) - [SMSN.UK](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SMSN.UK.md) - [NVD.DE](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/NVD.DE.md) ## Related News & Research - [Why SK Hynix Shares Tumbled 11% After Q2 Profit Surged 557% to Record High](https://longbridge.com/en/news/294143832.md) - [Micron, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix Lock in 2027 DRAM Capacity as AI Demand Drives Tight Market Cycle](https://longbridge.com/en/news/294792407.md) - [SKHY Stock Forecast – Here's Why UBS Is Bullish on this Memory Chip Giant](https://longbridge.com/en/news/294458158.md) - ['Don't Write-Off AI Chip Stock SK Hynix,' Says Top Analyst](https://longbridge.com/en/news/294806461.md) - [BofA Says Buy SK Hynix Stock (SKHY), Cites a 'Dominant Market Position in High-End Memory'](https://longbridge.com/en/news/294850693.md)