News
DRAM spot prices soften ahead of Lunar New Year while NAND and SSD demand stays strong
Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 10:17 PM
Ahead of the Lunar New Year, DRAM spot prices for DDR5 and DDR4 are seeing slight downward adjustments as traders reduce inventory, though manufacturer supply remains tight. In contrast, DDR3 prices remain stable due to replenishment buying. The NAND Flash market shows a divide: while wafer transactions have slowed due to high prices, demand for eMMC and SSDs remains strong with prices continuing to trend upward based on steady end-user demand.
Context
The NAND flash market is experiencing a sharp price surge as SK Hynix and Kioxia aggressively tighten spot market supply. While DRAM demand is cooling ahead of the Lunar New Year, NAND remains on a strong upward trajectory driven by a strategic shift where producers prioritize high-margin enterprise contracts. This deliberate "stingy selling" strategy has made spot transactions difficult, as sellers hold out for higher valuations despite some buyer resistance in the broader memory sector.
Key market indicators show SK Hynix 512Gb TLC wafer prices nearing $20.00, far outpacing buyer targets of $17.00 to $17.50. Concurrently, Kioxia has implemented price hikes exceeding 30% for specialized MLC/SLC chips, creating extreme scarcity in the distribution channel. In the eMMC segment, Samsung is seeing 8G quotes climb above 16G levels due to acute low-capacity shortages. With spot availability becoming scarce and manufacturers maintaining disciplined production, the pricing environment remains firmly bullish.
Related Companies
SK Hynix
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Samsung