DRAM and HBM capacity fully booked for 2027, AI demand drives allocation

According to ChainCatcher, citing DIGITIMES, industry insiders revealed that the three major memory manufacturers have already completed capacity allocation negotiations for the full year of 2027, with all DRAM and HBM capacity sold out. For NAND Flash, while demand is not as intense as DRAM, capacity is expected to be fully booked by the end of August 2026. Adata Chairman Chen Li-bai confirmed that HBM and AI server-related applications will account for nearly 70% of DRAM capacity, leaving relatively limited supply for PC and smartphone DRAM. Industry analysts estimate that Samsung, Micron, and SanDisk’s full-year 2027 NAND capacity has also been pre-sold out, with Kioxia and SK Hynix expected to finalize agreements by the end of August. SK Group Chairman Choi Tae-won previously stated that AI semiconductor demand in 2027 could increase by 60–100% compared to 2026, with memory demand projected to rise by 50–60%, potentially widening the supply-demand gap and leading to the “most severe shortage in history.” Industry insiders noted that capacity allocation for 2027 is more orderly than in 2026, but manufacturers typically offer only 60–70% of customer demand, leaving some smaller buyers with no access to supply. Memory price increases may slow in 2027, but persistently high levels are likely to become the new norm.