Samsung leads NAND market as prices climb

Counterpoint Research data shows the global NAND market grew 70% quarter-over-quarter in Q2 after 90% growth in Q1, with the gains driven largely by higher prices rather than increased shipments. NAND contract prices climbed 55% QoQ in Q2, broadly aligning with earlier TrendForce estimates of a 70-75% jump over the same period.

Samsung remained the market leader with 28% revenue share, compared with 29% in Q1 and 32% a year earlier. SK hynix followed with 19%, while Micron ranked next at 15% as elevated selling prices lifted revenue across major suppliers.

AI infrastructure demand is absorbing NAND supply that might otherwise support consumer SSDs. Enterprise and hyperscale customers are stockpiling high-capacity flash for AI servers, encouraging manufacturers to prioritize higher-margin orders over retail drives and leaving less capacity for client SSDs.

YMTC gained ground as larger suppliers focused on more profitable enterprise demand, rising from 9% share a year ago to 14% in Q2. Forecasts cited in the report point to meaningful price stabilization sometime in 2027, as new NAND capacity takes years to come online and AI demand remains strong.