# Memory Related Articles

HTX News Center provides the latest articles and in-depth analysis on "Memory", covering market trends, project updates, tech developments, and regulatory policies in the crypto industry.

How Long Will the Storage Boom Last?

Title: "How Long Can the Memory Boom Last?" (Author: Takashi Yunoue) Summary: The semiconductor industry, especially the memory market, is experiencing an unprecedented, explosive boom. Data (WSTS, 1991-2026) shows that while other categories like micros, logic, and analog grew steadily, memory shipments, particularly DRAM and NAND flash, have seen a near-vertical spike since 2024. Monthly memory shipments surged from ~$5.6B in 2016 to ~$63.3B in 2026, an 11x increase, with year-on-year growth reaching a staggering 285%. This dwarfs the previous peak of ~60% during the 2017-2018 memory bubble. The primary driver is not volume but a ~10x price surge for both DRAM and NAND, fueled by insatiable demand from AI data centers. Hyperscalers like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Meta are making massive capital investments (projected at $755B in 2026, ~36x growth since 2015), creating a "black hole" that absorbs GPUs, High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), and high-performance storage. This has diverted production capacity, causing severe shortages and price hikes for memory in consumer electronics (PCs, smartphones). While forecasts now predict the global semiconductor market will hit $1.5 trillion in 2026 and memory alone may surpass $1 trillion by 2027, the author warns this boom is unsustainable. Historical analysis of memory market growth rates over 35 years shows that periods of sustained annual growth have never exceeded five consecutive years, inevitably followed by a downturn due to the "silicon cycle" (demand surge → price rise → overinvestment → oversupply → price crash). Given the current boom started from a low in 2023/2024, a peak is expected by 2027-2028 at the latest. Furthermore, a fundamental rule applies: "The higher the peak, the deeper the valley." The unprecedented 285% growth peak suggests the subsequent recession could be the most severe in industry history. The author cautions that the current soaring stock prices and wealth creation in the memory sector are based on inflated expectations and urges companies to use this prosperous period to prepare practically for the inevitable downturn.

marsbit07/14 21:20

marsbit07/14 21:20

$8 Trillion: The Second-Largest IPO in History Has Arrived

SK Hynix Makes History with World's Second-Largest IPO. The global memory chip leader SK Hynix debuted on Nasdaq, raising $26.5 billion and achieving a market cap exceeding $1.2 trillion. This marks the largest U.S. IPO by a foreign company and the second-biggest globally. The company's journey is a remarkable turnaround. Founded in 1983, its predecessor, Hyundai Electronics, faced near-bankruptcy during industry downturns before being acquired by SK Group in 2011. A pivotal early bet on HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) technology, initially with AMD in 2013, ultimately paid off with the AI boom. SK Hynix now supplies HBM3 to NVIDIA and commands 58% of the global HBM market. Driven by soaring AI demand, SK Hynix reported staggering Q1 2026 profits with a 72% operating margin. Its surging stock made it South Korea's second trillion-dollar company. Profits are shared widely with employees through a new bonus system tied to 10% of annual operating profit. The article highlights an ongoing "super memory cycle" fueled by AI, with market forecasts predicting massive growth. This presents a historic opportunity for Chinese memory chip makers. ChangXin Memory Technology (CXMT) is set for a domestic IPO, potentially reaching a ~$420 billion valuation as China's top DRAM producer. Yangtze Memory is also preparing to go public. While these "domestic storage leaders" are gaining ground, the article notes they still face technology and margin gaps compared to established giants like Samsung and SK Hynix.

marsbit07/11 04:05

$8 Trillion: The Second-Largest IPO in History Has Arrived

marsbit07/11 04:05

This Afternoon, South Korea Will Bet the Nation's Destiny for the Next Decade

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's office announced on Sunday that Samsung and SK Group will unveil major investment plans on Monday. South Korean media reports indicate the plan involves a massive 200 trillion won (approx. $1.3 trillion USD) investment over the next decade, primarily focused on expanding domestic semiconductor manufacturing. This includes Samsung and SK Hynix building multiple new semiconductor fabrication plants and facilities across several regions in South Korea. This investment represents a strategic, government-backed move to solidify South Korea's position in the global AI infrastructure race. It reflects a belief that AI-driven demand for high-performance memory, especially High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), is not a short-term boom but a sustained, decade-long industry wave. Historically a highly cyclical sector, the memory industry's dynamics are being tested by the unprecedented demand from AI development. This investment is a bet that AI can fundamentally extend the cycle's duration or alter its nature. While the scale of the investment is staggering—nearly 70% of South Korea's annual GDP—the core question remains: whether AI can truly eliminate the memory industry's inherent cyclicality. Only time will tell if this monumental wager on AI's future will secure South Korea's long-term dominance.

Odaily星球日报06/29 03:19

This Afternoon, South Korea Will Bet the Nation's Destiny for the Next Decade

Odaily星球日报06/29 03:19

Apple and the Power Rebalancing with 'The Microns': Dissecting the Profit Ledger Behind the iPhone

The article analyzes the shifting profit dynamics and power balance between Apple and memory suppliers like Micron within the iPhone supply chain. It highlights a social media post criticizing Apple for raising iPhone prices while blaming memory chip cost increases, despite historically paying suppliers like Micron very little. An estimated iPhone 18 cost breakdown is referenced. Historically, memory was a minor cost component. In 2017's iPhone X, memory accounted for only about 1.6-2.3% of the price, with Apple capturing nearly 50% net profit. Over time, memory's share of the Bill-of-Materials (BOM) cost has grown significantly, reaching an estimated 12-15% for the iPhone 17 series. The core driver of this change is soaring demand for memory from the AI industry, particularly for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) and AI servers, which is diverting production capacity and squeezing supply for consumer electronics. Memory manufacturers, after enduring periods of low profits, now hold greater pricing power. This is reflected in their recent strong financials, like Micron's 84.6% gross margin. Apple CEO Tim Cook initially described the memory price pressure as unprecedented in his 40-year career, later calling it a "once-in-a-century flood," before Apple announced price hikes across several product lines, causing a significant stock drop. Elon Musk echoed Cook's sentiment about the dramatic cost surge. The article concludes that the era of memory suppliers being at the mercy of Apple's pricing power has temporarily reversed, thanks to AI-driven demand. It notes Apple is reportedly seeking to diversify its supply chain, including exploring chips from China's CXMT.

Odaily星球日报06/28 06:03

Apple and the Power Rebalancing with 'The Microns': Dissecting the Profit Ledger Behind the iPhone

Odaily星球日报06/28 06:03

Super Spiral Mega-Boom, Micron's Earnings Report Rekindles the Semiconductor Bull Run

On June 25, 2026, Micron Technology released its blockbuster Q3 FY2026 results, significantly exceeding market expectations and reigniting confidence in the semiconductor bull market. Revenue soared to $41.456 billion (vs. ~$35.4B expected), up 346% year-over-year, while GAAP net profit surged nearly 15 times to $28.243 billion. Guidance for Q4 was even more striking, with projected revenue of approximately $50 billion, far surpassing prior estimates. The report highlighted that the AI boom is now fueling growth across Micron's entire product stack, not just HBM. Cloud memory, core data center, SSD, mobile, and automotive businesses all saw revenue growth exceeding 250-600%, with margins hovering around 80%. While HBM4 is already in volume shipment and 2026 capacity is sold out, AI-driven demand is also tightening supply for traditional DRAM and NAND, sustaining a strong pricing cycle. A pivotal development is Micron's shift toward a "demand-first" model. The company disclosed 16 long-term strategic customer agreements (SCAs), most spanning 5 years to 2030, covering about 20% of DRAM and one-third of NAND shipments. These are take-or-pay contracts, with 14 agreements already securing roughly $100 billion in guaranteed future revenue and $22 billion in customer performance assurances. To fulfill this locked-in demand, Micron plans substantial capacity expansion, with Q4 capital expenditure projected at ~$10 billion. This investment, backed by concrete long-term orders rather than cyclical speculation, marks a historic change for the memory industry. Following the earnings release, Micron's stock surged 16% after-hours, lifting the broader semiconductor sector globally. The report served as a powerful signal that AI infrastructure build-out is accelerating, with memory positioned as a central protagonist in the ongoing narrative.

Odaily星球日报06/25 02:43

Super Spiral Mega-Boom, Micron's Earnings Report Rekindles the Semiconductor Bull Run

Odaily星球日报06/25 02:43

DRAM ETF Issuer: Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron All Surpass $1 Trillion, the AI Era of Memory Chips Has Only Just Begun

Authors: Dave Mazza, Thomas DiFazio | Source: Deep Tide TechFlow The article, written by Roundhill Investments (issuer of the DRAM ETF), responds to Morningstar's caution about investing in memory chip stocks. Morningstar warns of the sector's history of boom-bust cycles, a lack of economic moats, and potential momentum-driven overvaluation. Roundhill argues the current situation is structurally different due to AI. Key points in Roundhill's rebuttal include: * **Changed Demand & Supply Dynamics:** AI infrastructure, not consumer electronics, is now the primary growth driver for memory demand. New, strict long-term supply agreements with hyperscalers reflect the high capital intensity of advanced manufacturing. * **Existence of a Moat:** High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM), essential for AI, has extremely high manufacturing barriers. The market is dominated by Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, with new entrants blocked by technological complexity and long lead times for equipment like ASML's EUV machines. * **Strong Fundamental Outlook:** Analyst consensus projects the three companies will rank among the world's most profitable by 2027, with combined profits of $704 billion on over $1 trillion in revenue. Their operating margins have already reached record highs. * **Valuation Re-rating:** Despite significant stock price gains, memory stocks trade at attractive valuations (e.g., a median NTM P/E of 8.37x for the DRAM ETF) relative to projected explosive EPS growth. Roundhill suggests historical valuation frameworks may no longer apply given the new profitability paradigm. Conclusion: Roundhill contends the rally is justified by fundamentals, marking a structural shift for the memory industry into a new era of sustained, AI-driven demand against constrained supply, rather than a repeat of past cycles.

marsbit06/24 09:06

DRAM ETF Issuer: Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron All Surpass $1 Trillion, the AI Era of Memory Chips Has Only Just Begun

marsbit06/24 09:06

SemiAnalysis Deep Dive into CXMT: $50 Billion Revenue, An IPO Amidst a Supercycle

SemiAnalysis' in-depth report on ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) details its rapid rise as China's largest upcoming semiconductor IPO. Founded in 2016 by Zhu Yiming, CXMT built its DRAM foundation on acquired patents and talent from the bankrupt German firm Qimonda. It achieved its first annual profit in 2025 after nearly a decade of significant capital support, primarily from patient Hefei municipal investors who fostered a local supply chain. The company is now capitalizing on a strong DRAM supercycle. Its revenue soared from ~$3.3B in 2024 to ~$8.6B in 2025, with Q1 2026 alone reaching ~$7.3B. SemiAnalysis projects full-year 2026 revenue could exceed $50B, driven by soaring ASPs rather than massive market share gains. While CXMT is closing the capacity gap with Micron, its product mix remains heavily focused on commodity DDR/LPDDR, which currently offers higher margins than its nascent HBM business. CXMT faces significant challenges in HBM, struggling with yield and stability for HBM3 8-Hi stacks while lagging behind the big three (Samsung, SK Hynix, Micron) in advanced nodes. However, strategic national priorities for AI self-sufficiency may push it to accelerate HBM capacity. Its complex IPO structure reveals heavy state-backed ownership and voting control over its fabs, with Alibaba appearing as both a key cloud customer and a minority shareholder. The IPO aims to raise ~$4.1B, primarily to strengthen its core DRAM manufacturing base.

marsbit06/24 07:26

SemiAnalysis Deep Dive into CXMT: $50 Billion Revenue, An IPO Amidst a Supercycle

marsbit06/24 07:26

Semiconductor Stock Rebound: Is the Technical Correction Over or a Trend Reversal?

The core of recent semiconductor stock volatility is not about daily price swings, but rather the market questioning whether AI-driven semiconductor pricing has entered a new phase. Following a sharp sell-off in Korean stocks on June 23rd, led by Samsung and SK Hynix, a subsequent rebound is seen more as a technical positioning adjustment rather than a confirmed trend reversal. The key variable is HBM (High Bandwidth Memory), essential for AI chips. Its supply-demand imbalance granted memory makers significant pricing power. The current market focus is on whether this dynamic remains strong enough to justify elevated valuations. All eyes are on Micron's upcoming earnings report. The critical factor is not whether results meet already high expectations, but whether the company's guidance confirms that AI memory pricing power, order visibility, and future margins are still expanding. Micron's outlook will serve as a crucial test for the broader AI semiconductor chain, including Samsung, SK Hynix, and other infrastructure players. The recent bounce appears to be a pre-earnings positioning repair. For it to evolve into a sustained uptrend, concrete evidence is needed that the AI infrastructure expansion cycle's fundamentals—particularly for high-end memory—remain robust and can continue to surpass elevated market expectations. The risk is that strong demand alone may not be sufficient if future guidance hints at peaking momentum or increasing supply-side pressures.

marsbit06/24 03:34

Semiconductor Stock Rebound: Is the Technical Correction Over or a Trend Reversal?

marsbit06/24 03:34

"Six Walnuts" Diversifies into AI Investment, Stock Price Triples in One Year

"Six Walnuts," a popular Chinese beverage brand under Yangyuan Food and Beverage, has pivoted aggressively into AI and semiconductor investments. Despite its core walnut milk drink business facing sustained decline—with revenues shrinking 41% over a decade—the parent company has channeled nearly all its annual profits for three consecutive years into a 40 billion yuan investment fund targeting AI hardware, chips, and storage. This bold move has transformed the firm into an AI-themed stock, propelling its share price up nearly 300% in one year, even as consumer stocks broadly struggled. A key bet is a 1.6 billion yuan investment in memory chipmaker Yangtze Memory, whose potential IPO could deliver substantial returns. Other investments span AI vision, edge AI chips, and GPUs, though many remain unrealized or at a paper loss. While maintaining its beverage base, Yangyuan is pursuing a dual-track strategy: steady income from its traditional business and high-risk, high-reward exposure to hard tech. Its future valuation now heavily depends on the success of these tech investments, particularly Yangtze Memory's listing. Failure could lead to significant market correction as AI expectations unwind.

marsbit06/24 03:06

"Six Walnuts" Diversifies into AI Investment, Stock Price Triples in One Year

marsbit06/24 03:06

Giants Wage the Context War, Reconstructing AI Moats

The article "Giants Launch the Context War, Reconstructing AI's Moat" discusses how leading AI companies—OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google—are shifting their competitive focus from model size to acquiring, managing, and utilizing user context (Context). Initially, Context referred to the length of text a model could process, leading to a "arms race" for longer context windows. However, the competition has evolved through three key phases: expanding text capacity (long context windows), enabling memory across sessions, and finally, integrating AI into real user environments like browsers and desktops to capture dynamic task states. Each company is pursuing a distinct strategy. OpenAI is building Context around the ChatGPT account, turning it into a central hub that accumulates user understanding across various integrated applications and tools. Anthropic, lacking a major user base, focuses on high-value verticals like coding, empowering its Claude model to actively gather Context through GUI interaction (Computer Use) and system connections (MCP protocol). Google, with vast existing user data from products like Search and Gmail, faces the challenge of restructuring this data into actionable, AI-understandable Context for its Gemini model within its ecosystem. The core argument is that the nature of competitive advantage in AI is changing. The internet era prized network effects—connecting more users. The AI era values "individual depth": the ability to build deep, task-specific understanding of a user. This creates a new moat through 1) the compounding value of accumulated Context, 2) deep integration with user tools and permissions, and 3) the establishment of trust for complex tasks. Therefore, the battle for Context is fundamentally about capturing "task entry points" and converting existing digital ecosystems into environments where AI can effectively understand and act, rather than merely scaling user numbers.

marsbit06/23 23:13

Giants Wage the Context War, Reconstructing AI Moats