The global memory market is showing clear divergence across product segments. According to the latest report from TrendForce, DDR4 and DDR5 continue to face headwinds due to weak end demand and elevated pricing, while DDR3 is demonstrating relative resilience. Meanwhile, the NAND Flash market remains subdued, with limited transaction activity on both the supply and demand sides.
DRAM: DDR4 and DDR5 Struggle, DDR3 Stands Out
In the past week, the DRAM spot market has remained soft for both DDR4 and DDR5. End-user demand continues to fall short of absorbing current price levels, while contract prices for 2Q26 have yet to be finalized.
Despite suppliers implementing aggressive price reductions, module makers are still cautious, only placing small orders when prices fall significantly below prevailing market levels. This mismatch between buyer expectations and seller pricing has resulted in a prolonged stalemate, dampening overall market liquidity.
In contrast, DDR3 has shown relative strength. Supported by its cost advantage and sporadic urgent orders, real demand continues to emerge, particularly at lower price points. As a result, DDR3 pricing has maintained a steady upward trend across multiple suppliers.
For reference, the average spot price of mainstream DDR4 1Gx8 3200MT/s chips declined slightly by 0.12%, from USD 34.00 to USD 33.96 over the past week.
NAND Flash: Weak Demand Keeps Market Subdued
The NAND Flash spot market also remained sluggish this week. Suppliers have been actively lowering prices as demand fails to support previous price levels, compounded by the absence of finalized contract pricing for 2Q26.
However, buyers remain highly selective. Module houses are only making limited purchases when prices drop well below market averages, leading to minimal transaction momentum and a near standstill in trading activity.
Spot prices for 512Gb TLC wafers declined by 2.97% week-over-week, settling at USD 22.155.
In the near term, the memory market is expected to remain under pressure as weak demand and cautious purchasing behavior persist. Price trends will largely depend on the outcome of 2Q26 contract negotiations and any signs of recovery in end-market demand.
The current divergence, particularly the relative strength of DDR3 versus the softness in DDR4 and DDR5, highlights a market still in the process of rebalancing.
