Global top-3 memory maker status, 1Q 2026

After their combined revenues reached US$61.6 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025, the world’s three major memory vendors, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Micron Technology, are likely to see their sales grow by 35% sequentially in the first quarter of 2026, driven by sustained demand and rising product prices.

With supply still falling short of demand, AI-related applications have become the primary focus for memory vendors, particularly high-bandwidth memory (HBM) in the DRAM segment. All major vendors have announced new fab investment plans for 2026, while ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) is advancing rapidly and could emerge as a potential competitor in the HBM market. Meanwhile, NAND Flash vendors are increasingly focusing on server SSDs, according to DIGITIMES.

AI applications have driven a turnaround in the memory market cycle. Combined revenue for the three major memory vendors is likely to remain on a growth trajectory, potentially increasing by over 150% year-on-year to reach US$83.3 billion in the first quarter of 2026, underscoring how sharp memory price increases are boosting vendor revenues.