Contract prices for both NAND and DRAM have jumped by an estimated 15-20% in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to numbers published by DigiTimes on September 17, an off-season surge the publication ties directly to AI infrastructure build-outs and supply tightness.
“Supply shortages led to aggressive procurement from cloud service providers, with high-stack 3D NAND products nearly sold out,” writes DigiTimes, adding that, “3D NAND… has attracted strong priority purchasing interest from CSP customers,” citing demand for faster read speed and larger die capacities. This is a stark difference from the normal Q4 pattern, when component prices typically drift lower.
DigiTimes goes further, saying Samsung’s next-gen V9 NAND for 2026 is “nearly sold out”, with cloud customers locking in capacity early due to its improved density and cost advantages. A separate TrendForce brief from this week, however, says Samsung has delayed V9 QLC to the first half of 2026, which suggests customers may be reserving capacity ahead of firm volume timing. Either way, it’s clear to see that cloud buyers are aggressively securing supply well into the future.
One tell that money is switching hands is controller specialist Phison’s record August figures. It reported a revenue of NT$5.934 billion, up 23% year over year. That’s a dramatic jump from last year’s weak base. The company has attributed the strength to non-consumer demand and closer tie-ups with NAND makers, which fits the broader theme of data-center-led flash tightness.
