Samsung sustains 38% share; SK hynix rises to 29% as DRAM revenue climbs by over 40%
Surge in commodity DRAM sales coincides with escalating HBM4 rivalry; Samsung eyes top spot in HBM for next year
While Samsung Electronics has maintained its lead in the global DRAM market, the competitive pressure from SK hynix is intensifying. During the most recent quarter, Samsung held steady with a 38% market share, while SK hynix narrowed the gap from 13 percentage points to 9, gaining 4 percentage points in a single quarter. Bolstered by rising High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) prices and expanding demand for server memory, SK hynix has seen its revenue climb, while Samsung is positioning itself to reclaim the lead in the next-generation HBM4 market.
According to data from market researcher Counterpoint Research released on the 5th, Samsung Electronics led the global DRAM market in the third quarter with a 38% revenue share. SK hynix rose to second place with a 29% share, up from 25% the previous quarter. Meanwhile, U.S.-based Micron saw its share decline from 24% to 21%, and China’s CXMT dropped from 10% to 9%.
The year-over-year trends present a different picture: while Samsung’s share grew from 33% to 38%, SK hynix’s share remains lower than the 33% it held in the same period last year. However, the trajectory shows SK hynix rapidly closing that distance throughout the third quarter of this year.
[Source: Counterpoint Research, Comparison of global DRAM market share by revenue for Q3 2025 and 2026]
SK hynix reported a revenue increase of over 40% quarter-on-quarter, driven by the expansion of its HBM3E supply and rising memory prices. While Samsung benefited significantly in the first half of the year as commodity DRAM prices rose faster than HBM prices, HBM prices have begun to surge in the second half.
The broader market growth has been dramatic. Counterpoint Research noted that while DRAM bit shipments grew by only about 4% in the third quarter, revenue skyrocketed by 369% year-on-year, underscoring that price hikes, rather than sales volume, are driving current market expansion.
Choi Jung-goo, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, explained, "This remains a price-centric supercycle rather than a volume-driven one. As AI transforms memory into a scarce resource, buyers are prioritizing the security of supply over price negotiations."
Growth was particularly notable in non-HBM segments; DDR revenue rose by 500% year-on-year, while LPDDR saw a 400% increase. Although HBM revenue nearly doubled, its proportion of total DRAM revenue actually decreased relative to the explosive growth in other categories.
This shift is attributed to the expansion of memory demand for AI servers beyond GPU-linked HBM to CPU-linked DRAM. According to Counterpoint, the ratio of CPU to GPU in AI systems has shifted from 4:1 toward 1:1. Notably, Nvidia’s next-generation Vera Rubin servers are expected to carry 1.5TB of DRAM per CPU, roughly triple the capacity of previous generations.
Competition Shifts to HBM4: Samsung Targets Leadership
While SK hynix is narrowing the gap in the overall DRAM market, Samsung is mounting a fierce challenge in the HBM sector.
In the second quarter, SK hynix led the HBM market with a 50% share, but Samsung increased its footprint from 21% to 33%, cutting the gap to 17 percentage points. Counterpoint Research suggests that while SK hynix has dominated the HBM3E market, its momentum has slowed, whereas Samsung’s HBM4 offerings are receiving positive feedback from clients, leading to projections that Samsung could top the HBM market next year.
SK hynix is also accelerating its HBM4 supply plans, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle over production volume and key customer acquisitions.
China’s CXMT has been expanding its presence in the commodity DRAM market but remains significantly behind Korean rivals in advanced HBM. Reuters reported on the 28th of last month that while CXMT is preparing limited production of HBM3E, its yields—estimated at 20–30%—fall well short of the approximately 70% yield achieved by SK hynix.
Memory shortages are expected to persist in the near term. Counterpoint Research notes that long-term supply agreements are supporting HBM prices, with major new production facilities not expected to come online until 2028. Additionally, TrendForce reported on the 4th that with rising contract prices for server DRAM, the 2025 HBM supply for both Samsung and SK hynix is effectively already secured.
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