DRAM Prices Soar 172% Year-over-Year — Faster Than Gold
The global memory market is experiencing unprecedented acceleration: DRAM prices have surged by 171.8% over the past year — outpacing even gold’s performance. The main forces behind this rally are artificial-intelligence expansion, server demand, and tightening supply chains.
AI-driven demand reshapes the market
Throughout 2025, the boom in AI training and inference workloads created massive pressure on global DRAM supplies. Data-center operators and hyperscalers rushed to secure memory modules for next-generation GPUs and high-bandwidth systems, leaving the consumer market undersupplied.
According to market data, DDR5 prices doubled by Q3 2025 compared to July. Analysts expect the fourth quarter to bring an even steeper climb — potentially leading to a supply deficit by early 2026. Manufacturers are redirecting production lines from consumer to enterprise-grade memory, prioritizing high-margin data-center chips.
Consumer memory feels the ripple effect
End-user hardware prices are following suit. For instance, the popular Corsair Vengeance RGB 2×16 GB 6000 MT/s kit now retails for $183, up from $91 just a year ago — a 101% jump. DDR5 kits across the board have seen similar increases, while DDR4 stock is gradually phasing out of production, further constraining affordable options for PC builders.
The upward trend extends beyond DRAM. NAND flash memory and HDD prices are also climbing as server manufacturers expand storage capacity for AI workloads. This ripple effect is transforming the entire semiconductor supply chain, from wafers to finished devices.
Economic parallels: memory vs. gold
Interestingly, the 171.8% price increase places DRAM above gold’s annual growth rate, highlighting its new status as a strategic commodity. Analysts describe DRAM as “digital gold” — a scarce yet indispensable asset fueling the infrastructure of the AI era.
Some economists warn that extended shortages could last at least four years, until new fabrication capacity from Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix fully comes online. Until then, both enterprises and consumers may face higher costs for upgrades, servers, and AI-related systems.
Outlook
Experts forecast that DRAM prices will remain elevated through 2026 as manufacturers balance between profitability and demand. The next stage of the cycle will depend on macroeconomic conditions and how quickly AI hardware supply chains can normalize. One thing, however, seems certain — memory has officially become the new gold of the digital economy.
Editorial Team — CoinBotLab