Samsung Electronics has raised prices for several memory chips by up to 60% compared to September, sources familiar with the matter said. The increase comes as global demand for AI data center components drives shortages in key memory chips.
Shares of Samsung, SK Hynix, and U.S. chipmakers surged following the news, reflecting investor optimism about the growing AI-driven demand. The price hike affects DDR5 memory modules, widely used in servers, computers, and AI hardware.
According to analysts, contract prices for 32GB DDR5 memory chip modules jumped to $239 in November from $149 in September. Prices for 16GB and 128GB DDR5 chips rose around 50%, while 64GB and 96GB modules increased by more than 30%. Industry executives describe the premiums as “extreme,” with some large server makers and data center builders struggling to secure enough supply.
The soaring memory chip prices are expected to increase costs for other electronics, including smartphones and computers. Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has already warned that rising chip prices are driving up production costs.
Samsung has also announced plans to build a new chip production line in South Korea to meet long-term AI demand. Analysts say the company’s slower transition to AI-specific chips has given it better pricing power compared to smaller competitors like SK Hynix and Micron.
Ellie Wang, an analyst at TrendForce, predicted that Samsung will likely increase quarterly contract pricing by 40% to 50% in the October-December period, exceeding the industry average of 30%. She noted that many long-term supply agreements are being negotiated for 2026 and 2027.
As AI development accelerates worldwide, Samsung appears well-positioned to benefit from strong memory chip demand, reinforcing its status as the world’s largest memory chipmaker.
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