Samsung has firmly asserted its dominance in the global memory chip sector, retaining the top spot in the DRAM market for a second consecutive quarter. This milestone stems from a rapid production expansion strategy designed to meet surging component demand from Big Tech. While SK hynix maintains the upper hand in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) segment crucial for AI, Samsung is rapidly closing the gap.

According to Counterpoint Research, Samsung captured 38% of global DRAM revenue in the first quarter, up 2% sequentially. Notably, Samsung was the only player among the industry's "big three"—which includes SK hynix and Micron Technology—to see its market share grow. The South Korean tech giant has widened its lead over second-place SK hynix to 9%, as the latter's share slipped to 29%. Micron claimed the third spot with 22%.

Samsung’s DRAM resurgence aligns with record-breaking revenue growth across the broader market, which surged 260% year-over-year. Beyond DRAM, Samsung successfully defended its crown in the NAND flash market with a 29% share, outpacing SK hynix (18%) and Kioxia (14%).

Although SK hynix still commands 58% of the premium HBM market, its dominance is shrinking. Samsung has aggressively accelerated its presence, boosting its share from 13% to 21%. Analysts predict a major shake-up in the AI chip landscape in the second half of this year, as Samsung becomes the first manufacturer to pass rigorous quality tests to supply its sixth-generation HBM4 chips to Nvidia. By sending its seventh-generation HBM4E prototypes to partners a month ahead of rivals, Samsung is signaling a clear ambition to topple SK hynix's monopoly in the near future.