TrendForce report points to RAM price increases before the end of 2026

A new TrendForce report describes DRAM supply as “very tight” and says suppliers’ early discussions on fourth-quarter 2026 contract pricing point to “meaningful price increases.” It attributes the outlook to strengthening demand, particularly from US cloud service providers (CSPs).

The report adds to concerns about a global memory shortage. TechRadar cites a report by The Wire China that quotes an employee at Chinese memory maker YMTC saying the company expects the shortage to last at least another three years. The report says YMTC has raised chip prices and is shifting production toward higher-margin chips. The employee’s comment refers broadly to memory, while a post by Jukan, cited by TweakTown, ties the production shift specifically to NAND chips used in SSDs.

YMTC is described as the world’s third-largest NAND supplier, behind Samsung and SK Hynix. The account is based on reported comments, not an official YMTC statement. TrendForce has separately forecast NAND supply returning to balance later in 2027, though the outlook is questioned in the reports cited by TechRadar.

TechRadar also says German-market DDR5 prices are 544% higher than before the crisis. The article presents further price rises through the rest of 2026 and into 2027 as likely, while noting that the shortage could last through 2030. These are forecasts and reported claims, not confirmed outcomes.