1. Market Overview

In April 2026, the global storage market — particularly DRAM and NAND Flash — continues to show a clear upward trend in both pricing and demand.

After a prolonged period of inventory correction throughout 2024, the market has now entered a new supply-tight cycle, driven by:

• Strong recovery in AI server deployments
• Continued expansion of cloud data centers
• Increasing demand from enterprise storage systems
• Gradual rebound in consumer electronics

As a result, both spot prices and contract prices have been rising steadily since Q1 2026.

2. Price Trends: DRAM & NAND

📈 DRAM (DDR4 / DDR5):

• Prices increased approximately 10–20% in April
• DDR5 demand continues to outpace supply, especially in server applications
• Major suppliers are prioritizing high-margin AI and data center clients

📈 NAND Flash:

• Prices rose by 5–15%, depending on capacity and grade
• Enterprise SSD demand is significantly stronger than consumer SSD
• Suppliers are maintaining disciplined output control, preventing oversupply

👉 Key takeaway:
The market is shifting from buyer’s market → seller’s market

3. Demand Drivers

🔹 AI & Data Centers

• Large-scale deployments by cloud providers are consuming massive DRAM & SSD volumes
• AI training workloads require high bandwidth memory + high-capacity storage

🔹 Enterprise IT Infrastructure

• Ongoing upgrades in servers and storage arrays
• Increasing demand for high-reliability and long lifecycle components

🔹 Industrial & Embedded Systems

• Stable demand from automation, telecom, and edge computing
• Preference for long-term supply stability over lowest price

4. Supply Situation

Despite increased demand, supply remains constrained due to:

• Major manufacturers maintaining controlled production output
• Capacity allocation shifting toward advanced nodes (DDR5, high-layer NAND)
• Limited availability of certain legacy parts (DDR3 / lower-density NAND)

⚠️ This creates:

• Longer lead times
• Reduced spot availability
• Increased pricing volatility

5. What This Means for Buyers

For OEMs, ODMs, and procurement teams:

✅ Secure supply early — avoid last-minute sourcing
✅ Consider alternative brands or configurations
✅ Lock pricing where possible to avoid further increases
✅ Work with flexible suppliers who can access global channels

6. Outlook for May–June 2026

The upward trend is expected to continue in the near term:

• DRAM prices likely to rise further 5–10%
• NAND expected to remain stable or slightly increase
• Demand from AI infrastructure will remain the key driver

📌 Unless there is a sudden macroeconomic slowdown,
the storage market is expected to remain tight through Q2 2026